Epress.am News from Armenia
Demonstrators protesting outside the government building every Thursday were not allowed to get close to the building today. Police had surrounded the building with no explanation. As a result, demonstrators stood near the fountains in Republic Square, at least a kilometer or two away from their usual spot.
Chief of Armenia’s Police Patrol Service Valeriy Osipyan told the Epress.am reporter on the scene that police will not allow “the disruption of the normal course of the (weekly) government meetings and the movement of ordinary citizens.” Asked from who police received such a directive, Osipyan said, “The police don’t need a directive.”
Yerevan Deputy Police Chief, Colonel Robert Melkonyan likewise was mum on explaining police actions. “We did good to surround [the building],” Melkonyan responded to the Epress.am reporter.
Soon after the protest began before noon today, member of the civic initiative group “The Army in Reality” Lala Aslikyan was detained and taken to the police station. “They said that I’m a criminal, I’m a hooligan and forcibly took me to the police station,” Aslikyan told Epress.am.
Protesting relatives of soldiers killed while serving in Armenia’s Armed Forces during peacetime insisted that by their actions the police incite people to crime. “Let them not think that from now we will be more civilized,” the mother of slain soldier Artak Nazaryan told Epress.am.
Demonstrators assured the press that they will continue to organize protests. “We’ll see who’ll have regrets — them or us. Our children were left unattended in the army, but their graves have not been left unattended,” said mother of dead soldier Tigran Ohanjanyan.
Later, prominent opposition activist Vardges Gaspari lay down on the ground near the government building (his usual sign of protest). He said he is likewise protesting the incidents in the army. Asked whether he was worried about his health, the activist said those serving in the army are in much worse conditions than he.
12:45 pm: Demonstrators protesting near the government building today have now gathered outside the Central Police Division where fellow activist Lala Aslikyan was taken earlier. Also there is Aslikyan’s attorney, Robert Revazyan, who has not been allowed to see his client.
Speaking to Epress.am, Revazyan said that such police behavior can be deemed a violation of the law. Also arriving at the police station were Heritage Party MPs Stepan Safaryan and Zaruhi Postanjyan. Only Safaryan has been allowed to see Lala Aslikyan.
1:05 pm: Aslikyan’s attorney was permitted to see his client.
1:09 pm: Another group of demonstrators from this morning’s protest have come to join their fellow activists outside the police station. However, a police chain is not permitting the latter group to join the former, who are closer to the station.
2:15 pm: Moments ago human rights activist Lala Aslikyan was released from police custody. While detained, she was asked to sign a document saying she didn’t obey a disciplinary request by police. Asklikyan refused to sign the paper, while her attorney, Robert Revazyan, said such a document was groundless.