Opposition Demonstration in Front of Armenia’s Marriott Hotel Begun with No Incidents

The demonstration organized by the Committee for the Protection of Political Prisoners and Persecuted People has begun in front of the Armenia Marriott hotel at Yerevan’s Republic Square.

Demo participants have gathered today, the first day of Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg’s visit to Armenia, in order to draw his attention to the existence of political prisoners in Armenia.

Among those gathered in front of the hotel today are Armenian National Congress activists, who are shouting out “Freedom to Political Prisoners!”, “Shame!”, and “Serzhik, go away!” (referring to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan), as well as calling out the names of political prisoners.

Also gathered in front of the hotel are numerous police officers; however, currently, they are attempting neither to break up the crowd nor to intervene in demonstrators’ actions.