Gunmen refuse to lay down weapons, capture of Yerevan police station still underway

/By Azernews/

By Rashid Shirinov

For the ninth day, Sasna Tsrer, an armed group that seized the building of police patrol service in Yerevan, stays inside. Although the government ceased food supply, they do not intend to surrender to the government.

Following the long-lasting talks, the armed group on July 23 released all of the hostages, including deputy chief of Armenian police major-General Vardan Yeghiazaryan and deputy chief of Yerevan police, Colonel Valeri Osipyan.

However, Varuzhan Avetisyan, one of the group’s members, stated that the group does not intend to lay down their arms and surrender until their requirements are met.

“All reports that our group wants to give up is false. We will surrender only when our demands are fulfilled: the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan, then a temporary phase, which will include the formation of an interim government that should not include members of the Republican Party of Armenia, and holding of new elections,” Avetisyan told journalists.

After the last hostages have been released, the Armenian government turned off the electricity of the armed group, the opposition members said. Moreover, the attackers do not get food supply.

As a protest, Sasna Tsrer member burned a vehicle on the territory of police station and shot down a drone.

“We do not want blood. Time will show who is stronger – we or Serzh Sargsyan”, - Pavel Manukyan, another member of Sasna Tsrer said. “We did not need hostages, and we did not treat the policemen like hostages.”

He further added that this should be “a popular uprising, people must come to power. We do not want power, we want freedom.”

Ordinary Armenians also show its support to Sasna Tsrer. About 1,500 people came to the building of seized police patrol service in the evening of July 22. The activists once again criticized the policy of the Armenian authorities.

Speaking at the rally Armenian MP Nikol Pashinyan demanded the resignation of President Serzh Sargsyan. He criticized the policy of the authorities.

"One of the major goals of our activity must be the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan", Pashinayan said.