20:45, 12 August 2015

Sit-in picket in defence of Volodya Avetisyan launched in Gyumri

The start of a two-day sit-in picket was announced in Gyumri today by activists of the group "In Defence of Volodya Avetisyan".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that since July 25, Freedom Square in Yerevan has been hosting an endless sit-in picket in support of Volodya Avetisyan and all political prisoners of Armenia. On July 27, protesters began drawing up a list of supporters of the veteran of the Karabakh War, ready to start new protest actions.

Volodya Avetisyan, a participant of protest actions of Karabakh War veterans, was detained on September 20, 2013. On July 17, 2014, the first instance court found him guilty of a fraud and sentenced to six years in prison and a fine.

The sit-in picket with a demand to release Colonel Volodya Avetisian is not the only action held in Gyumri – it is supported in Yerevan, Gagik Sarukhanyan, the chairman of the initiative group "In Defence of Volodya Avetisyan", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to his story, the action is held by six veterans of the Karabakh War – two from Yerevan, including himself, and four from Gyumri. Besides, many supporters of Avetisyan visit the veterans and provide support, said Sarukhanyan.

"Our goal is to release not only Volodya Avetisyan, but all political prisoners. Besides, we need to find solutions to the problems that have accumulated in the country," said Sarukhanyan, adding that veterans "are ready to take any action necessary to achieve their goals."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.