Armenian authorities attempt to frighten protesters

/By AzerNews/

By Laman Sadigova

Despite the Armenian government’s attempts to silence protesters, the demonstrations continue in Yerevan. Mass strikes have now been replaced by separate, dramatic protests against the electricity price rise.

One of the protesters, David Sanasaryan, who announced that he was on hunger strike, said that the police puts pressure and threatens people, who are fighting against the increase in electricity tariffs, forcing some citizens to abandon the struggle.

“The police chose a wrong path,” he said.

Sanasaryan thinks that the government can convince people to refrain from coming to Liberty Square, but it is impossible to completely to break their spirit and desire to fight.

He said that young activists, who are also on hunger strike, are under pressure from the police.

Police wrote down their names and addresses, and then late at night, they left the area and did not return.

Meanwhile Larisa Alaverdyan, the first Ombudsman of Armenia, said the fact that the government confronts protesters with police violence tells a lot about its incompetence.

“Power methods are ineffective in this situation. Our government is worthless and helpless. That is why such problems appeared. This explains why the people are protesting; if there is no way to solve the problem in a peaceful manner the only way is to go outside and protest.”

The Commission on Regulation of Public Services in Armenia in its June 17 meeting approved a decision to increase electricity tariffs by 6.93 Armenian drams (about $0.015). As a result, starting on August 1 consumers would have been required to pay 48.78 drams instead of the current 41.85 per 1 kWh per day.