Armenia’s security forces arrested some 244 opposition protesters on Monday as clashes took place when demonstrators blocked streets in Yerevan as they advanced their “resistance” effort to oust Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
To set the stage for and justify possible arrests, Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s office on Friday warned against “provoking public disturbance.” This was followed by a statement by Armenia’s National Security Service, which in a separate statement warned on “real dangers” as the opposition had announced its protest schedule ahead of time.
Monday’s protest was the continuation of a large-scale rally and demonstrations organized by the opposition Armenia and I Have Honor alliance. The activists that took part in the protest on Monday blocked more than 30 streets in Yerevan, bringing the traffic in the street to a standstill.
By noon, the national police announced that traffic had been restored and by Monday evening most of the detained protesters had been released.
Protest organizers condemned the use of force against activists but said they remain unfettered by law enforcement efforts to stifle their demands.
“We have many cases of violence, including against parliament deputies,” Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a deputy speaker of Armenia’s Parliament and a leader of the Armenia Alliance told reporters. “All of this is secondary. Everything is alright. People have risen up and the objectives set up by us are being methodically achieved.”
Summing up the day’s event, Saghatelyan announced that most of the 244 arrested demonstrators had been released.
This most recent wave of anti-government protests was sparked by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statements last month. Pashinyan told parliament that due to international pressures his government has been forced to engage in peace talks with Azerbaijan, which is demanding that Armenia recognize its territorial integrity, which also includes Artsakh.
Already determined to oust Pashinyan because he is blamed for Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 war, the opposition forces have framed his remarks last month as the government renouncing Artsakh.
On Sunday protesters from various regions in Armenia joined those gathered at Yerevan’s France Square to demand an end to the Pashinyan regime, closing four main intersections in the city.
“These authorities have no mandate to lead the country to new concessions,” Saghatelyan told the crowd on Sunday. “This is not a seizure of power. This is an exercise by dignified citizens to exercise their constitutional right to come out and oust these pro-Turkish authorities for the sake of Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian people.”
Sunday’s rally also featured popular Armenian entertainers who performed during the rally and pledged their support to Artsakh.
