Armenians went on to streets with anti-government slogans

/By Azernews/

By Rashid Shirinov

About 400 people went out to the central streets of Yerevan demanding the resignation of the Armenian authorities.

The protesters expressed support to the armed group that has been seizing the building of the police station since July 17, Interfax news agency states. People, chanting anti-government slogans “Free, Independent Armenia” and “No Robbery”, demanded not to use force against the attackers. The procession was escorted by the police squads.

A group of 5-6 young people who prepared a banner with the slogan of “There is no alternative”, were put in police cars and taken away.

According to various reports, the Armenian police have detained about 200 people in different districts of Yerevan, and many of them speak about violence. “A number of detainees claimed the violation of their rights and the use of physical violence by the police,” the office of the Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan announced.

Some of the protesters, including Levon Zakarian and Artush Chibukhchan, were hospitalized.

On Sunday morning, a group of armed men entered the territory of the Armenian police patrol department in the Erebuni district of Yerevan and took several people hostage. The police states that during the seizure of the building one policeman was killed and four injured.

Currently, the attackers hold five policemen hostage, including the deputy chief of Armenian police major-General Vardan Yeghiazaryan and the deputy chief of Yerevan police, Colonel Valeri Osipyan. The armed group refuses to lay arms down and surrender to the authorities.

The attackers demand the release of Armenian opposition figure Jirair Sefilyan, who was arrested nearly a month ago on charges of illegal possession of arms. They also claim resignation of the Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan.

The Armenian opposition party Heritage stated that the Armenian authorities are to be blamed for the armed attack. “Not allowing to solve the problems of the country through the electoral process and in the framework of the law, the authorities follow path of lawlessness and violence,” the party claims.