Epress.am News from Armenia
For the third time Police are restricting the parents of soldiers killed in the army to protest in front of the Presidential Palace gates. Two weeks ago, on February 11, police subject the parents to violence by dragging them across Baghramyan Avenue to the sidewalk across from the President’s office.
Last week, on February 19, a group of police did not even allow the protesters to get near the Presidential Palace and made them stand across the street.
Today, the 3 mothers, Nana Muradyan, Irina Ghazaryan, and Heriknaz Muradyan, were not allowed to cross the street. The protesters stood near the Baghramyan metro station holding placards; at the time they were watched over by 15 police, a few stood right in front of them, while the others were guarding the Presidential Palace gates. Three police cars and one police truck were lined up near the gates.
While speaking to Epress.am’s journalist, protest participant Irina Ghazaryan noted that over a dozen police officers were keeping a watch over 3 women. According to the woman, they were nonetheless still going through with their protest; “we won’t let them relax until we receive our answer.”
The parents of soliders who died in the Army during peacetime said that none of them have received an answer to the letter they had sent to the President. According to Nana Muradyan, Aida Asatryan, Head of the Reception of Citizens, Appeals, Complaints and Proposals Department of the Presidential Office, told them that they have all of their addresses and when they have it, they will send the response to the authors of the letter.
Note, that in the letter the parents have demanded that Serzh Sargsyan meet with them and allow a fair trial take place for the criminal cases related to their sons' deaths.