15 Demands and 15,000 Visitors: Raffi Hovannisian Marks One Week of his ‘Fast for Freedom’

In the past week, during Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian’s “Fast for Freedom,” 15,000 people have visited him. This news was conveyed by Hovannisian himself during a press conference at Liberty Square, where he has been staging his public hunger strike since Mar. 15. The party leader added that he approaches all types of comments aimed at him during this time leniently.

“There have been also different views as to whether this is a Christian fast or a civil hunger strike. Apparently, not all have become familiar with the Mar. 13 decision approved by the Heritage Party, where the Heritage Party’s political demand, as well as 15 sub-demands, is clearly written,” he said, noting them as follows:

1. Power to the people

2. No to a party state

3. The people are the country’s owner

4. Vox populi, vox Dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God)

5. A free square, free citizen, free country

6. A free citizen, a safe state

7. A dignified future for Armenian youth

8. Employment for the people

9. SOS Armenia is being emptied of Armenians

10. No to injustice, poverty and emigration

11. An end to ruling corruption

12. Strength also lies in morality

13. No to [the Armenian-Turkish] Protocols, yes to Homeland

14. Recognition of Artsakh [the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh]

15. That miraculous country which is ours and will be ours — Armenia.

“Our civic expectations, the path and the future fit into these,” said Hovannisian.

While the party leader was speaking, youth stood up behind him holding each demand noted on a single placard.

Journalists reminded Hovannisian that at the start of his hunger strike he had declared that he had no demands, to which the party leader responded:

“The political demand has been put to the entire people. The Armenian people know what is that big mistake in which we have lived and live, and through what actions we have to resolve it: the right of vote, socioeconomic, poverty, foreign policy and so on. The political demand, the people have done that, it was seconded by our party, Heritage, and other allied forces, congresses and parties, and mine, voicing it and converting it to civic expectation, is firstly directed to the Armenian public.”