23:11, 20 July 2016

Police used tear gas in Yerevan (+video)

Police cordon in Yerevan. Photo by Tigran Petrosyan for the ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Protesters do not intend to leave Khorenatsi Street, despite the spraying of tear gas by policemen, said Maxim Sarkisyan, an activist.

In the morning on July 17 supporters of the "Constituent Parliament" captured the building of the police regiment of the patrol-and-guard service in Yerevan, demanding the release all the country's political prisoners. During the capture, a policeman was killed; and six other people were wounded.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that tonight supporters of the "Constituent Parliament" demanded from policemen to allow them to transfer foodstuffs to the rebels and hostages, who stay in the captured building of the police regiment. Around 10:00 p.m. local time, activists began throwing stones and smoke bombs at policemen, after the latter rejected the ultimatum. Around 10:20 p.m. policemen suppressed activists' attempt to break through to the captured building. Nikol Pashinyan, an MP of the National Assembly, persuaded the protesters not to succumb to provocations and stop throwing stones at policemen.

Many people felt bad because of the tear gas sprayed by policemen and began suffocating; therefore we decided to initially step back, Sarkisyan told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

However, as he said, activists are not going to leave Khorenatsi Street, and their demand remains the same.

Activists erected barricades from garbage cans and stones and dragged benches from neighbouring yards to Tigran Mets, one of the main streets. They do not let anyone along the street, except for ambulances.

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

Author: Armine Martirosyan

Source: CK correspondent