‘Army Dressed in Black’ Protestors Shout ‘Murderer!’ While Standing Outside Presidential Residence

A group calling themselves the “Army in Reality” established by relatives of young men killed in non-combat while serving in the Armenian army and their supporters, began marching from Yerevan’s Republic Square at 10:30 am today in protest of the situation in Armenia’s armed forces. The march, which was called the “Army Dressed in Black,” reached the Armenian presidential residence on Baghramyan St.

 

The Epress.am correspondent on the scene reports that around 100 protestors were holding placards, standing outside the presidential residence, and shouting “Murderer!” Police tried to push people slightly away from the gates. Some of the inscriptions on the posters they hold read “Don’t kill our children” and “The army, a slaughterhouse.”

 

From the president’s residence, protestors marched back to Republic Square, toward the government building.

 

Recall, relatives of the deceased soldiers have been protesting outside the Armenian government building every Thursday for months, demanding answers into the circumstances surrounding their sons’ deaths and an end to impunity in the army.

 

Updated on the same day at 3:52 pm: Group erroneously referred to as the “Army Dressed in Black.” In fact, this was the title of the march, while the group is called the “Army in Reality.”