Analysts consider mass detentions in Yerevan an act of intimidation

In Yerevan, hundreds of activists are being detained due to the authorities’ desire to prevent a rise in the number of protesters, analysts suggest. The police began checking a complaint filed by opposition MP Artsvik Minasyan about his unjustified detention.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that today, opposition supporters have blocked the streets and the traffic in Yerevan and also temporarily paralyzed the operation of the metro. The police detained 364 activists on the charges of failure to obey lawful demands of law enforcers.

On May 17, 414 people were detained in Yerevan on the charges of failure to obey lawful demands of the police. The “Resistance” opposition movement began collecting signatures under a petition demanding the release of detained public and political figures.

The law enforcement bodies were instructed to break the protest movement at any cost, which explains the unprecedented detentions of opposition supporters, political strategist Armen Badalyan suggests.

“During the events in April of 2018 (when street protests were led by Nikol Pashinyan,– note of the ‘Caucasian Knot’), such tactics led to the opposite effect – harsh dispersals led to an increase in the number of protesters,” Armen Badalyan recalled.

The political strategist believes that the protest movement has potential, but the number of supporters of the movement is not growing because of an erroneous strategy.

There is a possibility that the tough methods of the police will have the opposite effect, but so far the law enforcement bodies use acceptable methods, political analyst Armen Vardanyan adds.