Epress.am News from Armenia
Heritage Party MP Armen Martirosyan, at a press conference in Yerevan today, thanked Armenia’s online sites who, in his words, effectively and quickly reacted to yesterday’s clash between police and MPs.
“I would also like to thank our police, because yesterday they found on us neither weapons nor ammunition, nor an atomic bomb, and they didn’t even find one stick; that is, no one, not even they, can say that it wasn’t a peaceful, non-violent protest,” said the MP, referring to the protest outside the main government building yesterday against the city’s ban on street trade. As previously reported, a clash erupted between police and protestors, which involved Heritage Party MPs Armen Martirosyan, Anahit Bakhshyan and Zaruhi Postanjyan.
Martirosyan also thanked the police for the video footage provide to Armenia’s Public TV where, according to the MP, it was clearly evident how he addressed police officers, saying that they are violating the law and that they have no right to illegally touch (that is, hit) MPs or citizens.
“Dear H1, in your reportage yesterday where did you see aggressive attitudes by Heritage [Party] MPs and by the little more than a dozen women, that they were preparing to smash stoplights, burn garbage cans?” Martirosyan asked.
Again addressing the Public Television of Armenia, the National Assembly deputy touched upon the TV channel’s decision to cite the US as an example. “In those United States, if a police officer even so much as places a ‘public finger’ on a peaceful protesting demonstrator, he will instantly lose his title, he will lose his future work, and he will also be taken to court. I, of course, wouldn’t want this [what I’m about to say], but if one day any officer not knowing the law a little bit assaults the Public Television’s top directors, I will advise them not to defend themselves, wait for police, not knowing the law a little bit, to hit them,” said the Heritage Party member, as a taxpayer, asking H1 to report unbiased information.