Epress.am News from Armenia
Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's 8-hour state visit to Armenia today, activists Ani Kaghinyan and Nane Minasyan at around 7:20 this morning hung a banner that read "Sovereign Armenia" on the pedestrian overpass on Ajaryan St. in the Yerevan district of Avan. Next to the banner they hung a single black boot.
Men in civilian clothes subsequently followed the two women. "They began to follow us and said they suspect we have explosives in our possession and we're preparing to blow something up," said Minasyan.
Kaghinyan opened her bag and showed the unidentified men that she doesn't have any explosives; nevertheless, the men followed the women home. Kaghinyan, however, refused to open her front door, saying that she will speak to the men only in the presence of an attorney. The men in civilian clothing insisted that she open the door; Kaghinyan, instead, called the Human Rights Defender's Office. Currently, staff from the Human Rights Defender's Office's rapid response team are speaking with the men who identified as police.
Update: Since early this morning, activists have been hanging banners protesting Putin's visit. One such banner reads "No to Customs [Union] Colonization".