Epress.am News from Armenia
Yesterday, 59 people have been taken to the Yerevan and Gyumri police stations; 38 in Yerevan and 21 in Gyumri, said Police Press Department representative Armen Malkhasyan to Epress.am.
According to him, all those taken into custody have been released, however, two of those taken into custody at the Yerevan police department were found with guns. An investigation is taking place in regards to the latter fact.
In the released statement, the police note that “however justified or legal it may be (to carry a weapon), armed participants of public events are not defended by the Constitution and by law and are not to be tolerated.”
Recall, that yesterday clashes occurred in Gyumri between police and protesters, who attempted to reach the Russian consulate. Over 10 people were injured in the clashes and 21 were taken into custody.
However, in Yerevan, citizens were taken into custody in Liberty Square during a candlelight vigil․ People in civilian clothes attacked people with Armenian flags. Subsequently, police arrived on the scene and forcefully detained a large portion of those gathered, including a few members of “Founding Parliament” (formerly Pre-Parliament) movement and lawyer Avetik Ishkhanyan.
The police’s justification was that they were looking for guns among the participants. Around 4-5 dozen people stayed and lit candles for the memory of the murdered members of the Avetisyan family, while a bit later police returned and detained around 20 people without any justification.