Epress.am News from Armenia
The "Liberation March," as it was referred to in a statement issued last week by a youth initiative called Ararum Em ("I Create"), did not take place today due to the organizers' absence.
According to the statement, a protest march starting from Liberty Square and ending at the Russian Embassy in Yerevan was to commence today at 12 pm.
"All those who value both their and their country's freedom, those who realize that membership in the Customs Union will throw us into the abyss of slavery, and have so much dignity to not allow impostors to make fateful decisions for them, that day must come to Liberty Square and fight for their freedom and dignity," read the youth initiative's statement. Note, it was expected that the Armenian president would sign the accord that would seal Armenia's membership into the Customs Union today, on April 28.
Those who arrived at the stated time and place waited about an hour and a half for organizers, but they never showed.
Head of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor office Artur Sakunts told reporters that, as with the majority of those who came, he too found about the demonstration from the Facebook event page.
"We had all gathered as supporters of the event, and oddly enough, the organizers are not here, so we declare that our next demonstration will be held on May 18. Let me remind you, on that day a huge protest against Putin's policies will be held in Moscow, and we invite every citizen of the Republic of Armenia who is concerned and fighting against these policies to participate in the demonstration on that day at 12 pm [in Yerevan]," said Sakunts.
Epress.am was able to get in touch with one of the authors of the youth initiative's website Ararum.am, Hovhannes Yesayan, who said they joined another group of freedom-loving youths and tried to help them by notifying the media about the planned action.
"We help various civic initiatives when they have a problem with the media or dissemination [of information]; we help in the dissemination, but we have nothing to do with the organizing of the event. We've collaborated with the Dem Em movement and a number of other initiatives. As for today's demonstration, I know who the organizers are, those who contacted us, but I don't consider it expedient to say their names," he said.