Category: 2022

A police officer broke a man’s arm at peaceful protests in Yerevan on Tuesday morning, lawyer Amram Makinyan said in a Facebook post, also sharing photos.

“The police officer in the photo has broken the arm of citizen Mher Stepanyan. The latter has been taken to hospital,” the lawyer wrote.

Opposition protests demanding that PM Nikol Pashinyan step down resumed in Yerevan early on Tuesday morning, with activists blocking more than 50 streets in the capital. The police used force to detain many of them.

Armenia’s riot police used force to detain former MPs Armen Ashotyan and Naira Zohrabyan, among others, during peaceful protests demanding Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation in Yerevan on Tuesday.

Armen Ashotyan, the deputy head of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), wanted to lay flowers at the Genocide Memorial at the intersection of Teryan and Isahakyan Streets in the city center, but officers of a special police unit forced him into a police van.

“Let’s continue the action,” Ashotyan said, addressing the protesters.

Naira Zohrabyan, who represented the Prosperous Armenia Party in the parliament, was also forcefully detained in the same place. She started chanting “Armenia without Nikol!” from the police car.

Anti-government demonstrations resumed in Yerevan early on Tuesday morning, with opposition activists blocking more than 50 streets in the capital.

The parents and other relatives of Armenian soldiers killed in the 44-day war in Artsakh, who demand criminal charges against Nikol Pashinyan over his handling of the war, staged a protest in Yerevan on Tuesday, blocking the street near the Court of Appeals.

They claim that Pashinyan publicly admitted deliberately sacrificing thousands in his remarks in the parliament on April 13, when he said the war “could have been averted, as a result of which we would have had the same situation, but of course without the casualties.” They submitted a “crime report” to the Prosecutor General’s Office on April 18.

A court hearing on the case was scheduled for Tuesday, but it was postponed to Thursday because prosecutor Arshak Martirosyan did not appear in court.

“During the court hearing, we did not get proper answers. It was postponed since the judge was to hear a motion for arrest in another case set for 11am. Thus, we left the courtroom and blocked the road so that they would come and answer our questions now,” Anahit Manasyan, the relative of fallen soldier Hayk Melikyan, told reporters.

The soldier’s mother, Naira Melikyan, said the previous hearing was also delayed, deploring the conduct of the Prosecutor’s Office and the court.

“Mr. Davtyan, we urge you to wake up,” she said, addressing Armenia’s chief prosecutor, who is currently in Egypt.

The protesters refused to unblock the street until the prosecutor arrived.

Homeland Party leader Artur Vanetsyan believes that the opposition campaign to force PM Nikol Pashinyan from office will succeed soon.

“This morning, our dignified citizens paralyzed traffic across Yerevan. More than 50 streets were blocked as part of the peaceful civil disobedience campaign,” he wrote on Facebook.

“The police used disproportionate force against peaceful protesters, detaining around 400 people. But it makes us stronger, more determined and confident that our ultimate victory is right around the corner,” Vanetsyan said.

He urged all to join a rally to be held in Yerevan’s France Square on Tuesday evening. 

“I’m looking forward to seeing you all in France Square at 7pm,” the opposition leader said.

Armenia’s riot police detained MP Tadevos Avetisyan from the opposition Hayastan bloc at anti-government protests in Yerevan on Tuesday, Gegham Manukyan, a leader of the opposition ARF party and Hayastan MP, said in a live video on Facebook.

“Officers of the special police units kidnapped Tadevos Avtisyan despite the warning that they were not entitled to do so,” Manukyan said.

“They pushed him into a police van and took him away without providing any explanations,” he added.

Opposition protesters blocked dozens of streets in Yerevan on Tuesday morning as part of the ongoing campaign of civil disobedience to force PM Nikol Pashinyan from office, paralyzing traffic across the city. The police used force to detain hundreds of demonstrators.

Head coach of Armenia’s boxing team Karen Aghamalyan has unveiled its lineup for the EUBC European Men’s Elite Boxing Championships.

The competition will be held in Yerevan, Armenia from 21 to 31 May and the event will confirm the 13 new European champions.

Armenian boxers are set to compete in all 13 weight categories, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports reports.

The team includes Baregham Harutyunyan (48 kg), Artur Hovhannisyan (51 kg), Janik Sahakyan (54 kg) Artur Bazeyan (57 kg), Karen Tonakanyan (60 kg), Hovhannes Bachkov (63.5 kg), Gurgen Madoyan (67 kg), Narek Zakharyan (71 kg), Vakhtang Harutyunyan (75 kg), Hambardzum Hakobyan (80 kg), Rafayel Hovhannisyan (86 kg), Narek Manasyan (92 kg) and super heavyweight fighter Davit Chaloyan.