Epress.am News from Armenia
Two protesters against the latest hike in electricity rates in Armenia, Harutyun Harutyunyan and Hayk Barikyan, started a hunger strike on Tuesday evening on Baghramyan Avenue in downtown Yerevan, where thousands of people have been staging a sit-in protest for eight consecutive days.
Deputy Yerevan Police Chief Valery Osipyan approached the demonstrators and asked about the basis for the hunger strike. One of the protesters advised the young men not to waste energy answering Osipyan’s questions; however, the strikers decided to speak to Osipyan, stating they were still strong enough.
“The hunger strike is due to the [decision to increase electricity tariffs in Armenia],” Barikyan said.
To Osipyan’s remark “Right here?” the strikers answered they decided to go on a hunger strike on Baghramyan Avenue because that’s where they have been for the last few days.
Harutyunyan and Barikyan intend to continue the strike as long as the decision to increase electricity rates is not reversed.