European Forum

Around-the-clock protests grow in Armenian capital

On Wednesday October 5th, a court in the Armenian capital of Yerevan ordered to keep an activist in jail for two more months while opposition protests grew in central Yerevan.

Following the arrest of 7 activists of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) under disputed circumstances, one of them, a leader of HAK’s youth wing Tigran Arakelian remains in jail, facing 10 years in prison on charges of hooliganism. Following the authorities’ refusal to release him – saying it is the judiciary’s prerogative – HAK eventually pulled out of the dialogue it had been involved in with representatives of the authorities.

With the authorities still refusing to budge, HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrosian on 30 October announced the start of a campaign of non-stop protest. However, the demand of Arakelian’s release seems to have gone to the background: the current demands include early parliamentary and presidential elections, but Ter-Petrosian indicated he is ready to consider dialogue if the authorities come up with a ‘reasonable compromise’. The latter, however, refuse to reopen the dialogue as long as the protest continues.

Several thousand protesters have been camping around the clock on the central Liberty square since September 30th. Authorities are trying to frustrate the demonstrations by blocking of traffic coming into Yerevan in order to stop HAK supporters from joining. Public toilets which were used by the protesters have also been closed. HAK-leader Ter-Petrosian commented on this move by calling on President Serzh Sarkisian to “Open the toilets [and] prove to these people that there is one problem that you can solve.”

Talks between the opposition, which demands new elections, and the government had started in July, with several political prisoners being freed. However, on August 9, seven HAK members were arrested after clashing with the police, which prompted the opposition party to end the talks. Six of the arrested have so far been released, but Arakelian remains in jail.

The governing coalition has already announced it is not willing to hold early elections, one of the central demands of the protesters.

Sources: ArmeniaLiberty 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Image