Yerevan Armed Group Member Taken Out of Isolation, Does Not Intend to End Hunger Strike

Arayik Khandoyan, one of the leaders of the Daredevils of Sasun armed group who on December 29 went on a hunger strike in a solitary confinement cell in Yerevan’s Nubarashen cell, was today allowed out of isolation; meanwhile, however, Khandoyan has no intention of ending the hunger strike and was hence transferred to a cell designated for hunger strikers, his lawyer, Ara Gharagyozyan, told Epress.am on Monday.

“Arayik Khandoyan does not plan to end the strike until his demands are met. He demands that Smbat Barseghyan and Armen Bilyan, two other hunger striking members of Daredevils of Sasun, are transferred to a civilian hospital and then to the Armavir penitentiary. Today is Khandoyan’s last day in solitary confinement; he has been suffering from spine issues and headaches. The solitary confinement cell is not being properly heated; he does not get proper medical care despite also regularly suffering from blood pressure issues,” the lawyer said.

According to Gharagyozyan, Khandoyan has also been visited by staffers of Armenian human rights ombudsman; “My client told them about his untreated health issues, and we also raised the issue of the freezing cell.”