23:10, 15 June 2010

Armenia: opposition to hold protest action, despite the ban

The Committee in Defence of Political Prisoners and Persecuted Persons has decided to hold a sit-in protest action on June 18 in the capital of Armenia, although the city authorities forbade it.

"We'll hold the action that was announced by us earlier: we'll hold a short sit-in protest action in defence of political prisoners, which is permitted by the law. Our aim is not in clashes, but in enforcing our constitutional rights and defence of political prisoners' rights," said human rights activist Vardan Arutyunyan, a member of the Committee.

He is sure that the Mayoralty just invented the reason to prohibit the action. "Therefore, it was decided to hold a sit-in protest action when children would be already asleep," Mr Arutyunyan said.