35 opponents of ban on protests detained in Yerevan

Policemen have detained four lawyers and rights defenders, who demanded from the Armenian Parliament to consider cancellation of the ban on mass protests. 31 other activists were detained at the police station, where the earlier protesters had been taken.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the coronavirus situation in Armenia is not improving; therefore, authorities have extended the emergency regime until June 13. The government has offered to extend this period by still another month. Mass events remain banned across the whole country.

On June 12, a group of lawyers and human rights defenders gathered at the Armenian Parliament, where the extension of state of emergency was discussed. They demanded from MPs to put the issue of lifting the total ban on holding rallies, demonstrations and meeting on the session agenda.

The protest was initiated by Ruben Melikyan, the former Ombudsperson of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) and a co-founder of the NGO "Legal Way", who went out to the parliament building with the poster "Return freedom to peaceful meetings to citizens!"

Policemen made a warning through a loudspeaker to the protesters, after which they brought Ruben Melikyan and three more activists to the police station.

Supporters of Melikyan and other activists gathered in front of the police station. Policemen demanded to stop the action; however, the protesters refused to disperse; and some of them were detained.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 12, 2020 at 08:49 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.