Lights Shut Off During Opposition Rally in Yerevan’s Liberty Square Never Came Back On (updated)

9:15 pm: “Make some noise, people, or bring out your mobile phones so we can overcome this darkness. Make some noise so that [Armenian Police Chief] Vova Gasparyan also shuts of the sound of [Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan] Serzhik’s camera. And so, long live freedom! Long live the Republic of Armenia! Long live our children who will live in a free and joyful Armenia! Fight, fight till the end,” said Nikol Pashinyan at the end of the rally today.

Pashinyan also went over the route for the Dec. 10 march with the crowd. “That day we will pass by Myasnikyan’s statue and in the square adjacent to Yerevan City Hall near the Myasnikyan statue, we will once again display our will and our resoluteness in the work of being free of the criminal ‘Kocharian-Serzhakan’ clan,” he said, referring to current president Serzh Sargsyan and former president Robert Kocharian.

Note, the lights that were shut off half-way through the rally never turned back on before the rally ended.

7:14 pm: Levon Ter-Petrossian: “Political analysts and journalists have given valid or unfounded explanations for the dismissals. I want to invite your special attention on the dismissals of representatives of elective bodies. In three years, three National Assembly chairs have changed, while in two years — 3 [Yerevan] mayors. In all cases, the resignations were obliged. That means that the National Assembly chairs and the mayors were not elected but appointed. If they were elected, no one would’ve sacked them. They have been made into scarecrows. This is our state’s main systemic disease.”

7:10 pm: Levon Ter-Petrossian: “[Dear] cold Republic of Armenia citizens, allow me to keep you cold for another half an hour.”

7:03 pm: Nikol Pashinyan: “There are rumors that Vova [newly appointed Armenian Chief of Police Vladimir Gasparyan] during a consultation yesterday arrogantly proclaimed that this rally is going to fail. But, Vova was not able to bring down the rally and now he’s shut off the lights so Serzhik can’t see. But, Vova, one day Serzhik will ‘ghrghzel’ [meaning, that which happened during the riots in Kyrgyzstan in 2010] you too, while the people are going to ‘ghrghzel’ Serzhik.”

6:58 pm: While Aram Sargsyan was speaking, they shut off the lights around the Opera. Rally participants are calling, “Serzhik, resign!” The speeches continue.

6:54 pm: The Armenian National Congress (HAK) will be organizing a march on Human Rights Day, Dec. 10, leaving from Liberty Square at 2 pm. This news was conveyed by Levon Zurabyan.

6:39 pm: Levon Zurabyan: “We propose the following declaration which is to be called the declaration of legal and political grounds to impeach [Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan be approved: According to Article 57 Section 1, the president may be impeached for state treason.”

The declaration proposed by Zurabyan was put to a vote and unanimously approved by rally participants.

6:27 pm: Vahagn Khachatryan: “We have a current slogan, ‘Serzhik, resign’. Representatives of the ruling authorities declare that none of HAK’s forecasts realize, and the proof of that is the recent budget. This budget proves that we’re in a deep crisis. This budget won’t bring us prosperity. Do you want Armenia to find itself in Greece’s position? We’re in no position to take on debts. No one should give Armenia debt.”

6:27 pm: The Armenian National Congress rally began moments ago in Yerevan’s Liberty Square.

Nikol Pashinyan: “At the rally a month ago, [HAK leader] Levon Ter-Petrossian predicted shameful dismissals [among high-ranking officials]. About a month ago we were shouting on the street, ‘[former Armenian Police Chief] Alik, hooligan!’ and they disgracefully sacked him, because he found out about his dismissal from journalists. He was used and thrown aside, not even getting human treatment. And this is that man who attacked activists in the most audacious way.

“Five days after our rally, [parliamentary speaker] Hovik Abrahamyan announced his resignation. The reason for his resignation was that Serzh Sargsyan  has begun not to trust his family members, dismissing his son-in-law.

“Serzh Sargsyan is in complete paranoia.”