Armenian police have detained more than 400 people in Yerevan as protesters blocked streets during opposition-led demonstrations to force Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian from office.

Groups of protesters began blocking streets at 8 a.m. local time in an attempt to disrupt traffic and step up pressure on Pashinian’s government. Opposition leaders claimed that demonstrators blocked more than 50 streets in various parts of the capital.

Riot police clashed with protesters and detained many of them as they stepped in to unblock the streets. The police reported a total of 414 arrests by the afternoon, a daily record since the opposition began a civil-disobedience campaign on May 1.

Demonstrations organized by the opposition since April 17 have called on the public to commit acts of civil disobedience, accusing Pashinian of what they said were unacceptable concessions made during negotiations with Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Pashinian has faced heavy criticism since he and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev agreed last month in Brussels to begin drafting a peace treaty to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and set up a joint commission on demarcating their common border.

The demonstration and clashes on May 17 came a day after police detained almost 100 drivers who took part in a car rally in Yerevan.

The previous day, police detained almost 100 drivers who took part in a car rally in Yerevan.

Azerbaijan wants the peace deal to be based on five elements, including a mutual recognition of each other’s territorial integrity.

Pashinian has publicly stated that the elements are acceptable to Yerevan in principle, fueling opposition claims that he is ready to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia lost control over parts of the breakaway region in a 2020 war that ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire that an estimated 2,000 Russian troops have been deployed to monitor.

Nagorno-Karabakh, which had been under ethnic Armenian control for nearly three decades, is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

Pashinian, who said he had agreed to the 2020 cease-fire to avoid further losses, said he would not sign any peace deal with Azerbaijan without consulting ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Traffic in Yerevan is paralyzed, Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Ishkhan Saghatelyan said on his Facebook page, posting a video.

“More than 50 streets are closed at the moment. And this number is constantly growing. The mood in Yerevan is very pleasant, sunny, and victorious. Dear citizens, come out on the streets and join your brothers and sisters. Together until victory,” he noted.

The Resistance movement has resumed early morning demonstrations demanding the resignation of Nikol Pashinyan. They blocked streets in different parts of Yerevan, the road from Mashtots Avenue to the airport was closed. The police are trying to restore traffic. There are many apprehended.

Police are arresting participants of the Resistance Movement at Yerevan’s Hrazdan Stadium.

Police officers are grabbing the drivers from their cars in the middle of the street and dragging them to police cars.

Car rallies are held in the following directions:

1. Ashtarak highway – from the IFRC office building

2. Artashat highway – from the “Continental” building

3. Yerevan-Abovyan highway- from the “Pharaon” restaurant

4. Argavand highway, from the gas station on the way to the airport

5. Arinberd highway.

The Resistance Movement’s march started on Friday from France Square in Yerevan.

Since Friday morning, representatives of the Resistance Movement have organized rallies in different parts of Yerevan.

In addition, members of the Youth Voice initiative conducted an information campaign in Yerevan’s higher educational institutions.

Resistance Movement is holding a regular march in Yerevan.

Members of the Resistance Movement have organized rallies in various districts of Yerevan.

Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament from the opposition Ishkhan Saghatelyan said on the eve that since the morning the disobedience actions will be resumed.

“We need to increase the number of actions and their participants, this is the task of each of us, we need to work on this more intensively in the coming days,” he said.

Saghatelyan said that after the march there will also be different actions in Yerevan, and at 4 p.m. everyone will gather again at a rally on France Square.

(Reuters) -Armenian police detained 61 protesters on Tuesday as hundreds of people marched in the capital Yerevan calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, news agencies reported.

Video footage showed hundreds marching peacefully, dancing to loud music, and waving tricolor Armenian flags.

Subsequent footage showed groups of officers making arrests amid violent tussles with demonstrators, in some cases wrestling unarmed men to the ground and forcefully dragging them into waiting police vans.

Pashinyan has faced heavy criticism for agreeing to a Russian-brokered ceasefire after a six-week war in 2020 when Armenia was defeated by Azerbaijan and lost significant territory in and around the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The landlocked South Caucasus country has seen a string of protests in recent weeks as pressure mounts on the embattled prime minister, with at least 92 protesters detained last Thursday.

Armenia’s opposition Resistance Movement has started marches of civil disobedience in the capital Yerevan Tuesday—and in four directions.

Subsequently, a summing up rally will be held at France Square, in downtown Yerevan, at 7:00 pm.

Earlier, Armenian News-NEWS.am reported that peaceful acts of civil disobedience began in Yerevan on May 2, and a number of streets are closed off every day in the Armenian capital. In addition, opposition rallies are held at France Square.

The Resistance Movement is holding a rally in Gyumri today.

No rallies are planned in Yerevan today. Artsakh people will perform a cultural program on France Square. A large rally is planned for tomorrow at France Square at 5:00 p.m..

Earlier, NEWS.am reported that since 2 May peaceful protests have been held in Yerevan, with streets being closed every day. Since 2 May, rallies have been held on France Square in Yerevan.  

Ani Arakelyan,

A few days ago we wrote that Nikol Pashinyan calmed down his teammates, who are worried about this movement. He said that criminal cases will be initiated soon, the protesters and their leaders will be arrested and everything will calm down and die down, wait a few days. Indeed, the RA Investigative Committee headed by Argishti Kyaramyan has been working for several days already ․ They initiate cases, bring charges, arrest the protesters. The program is primitive – to scare, to drag the movement to die. The criminal cases are initiated on the articles of hooliganism, non-fulfillment of the lawful demands of the police and severe insult. The last article, let us remind you, was the most obvious manifestation of the democratic nature of these authorities, they introduced such an article in the Code, not even listening to the objections of European structures.

Now let’s see what cases Argishti Kyaramyan has initiated. A criminal case has been initiated on the occasion of “the incident that took place on Saryan Street in Yerevan on May 3.” What is the incident, it turns out ․ At around 10 a.m., a police officer, “being involved in the service and maintaining public order, made a legal demand to the participants of the political opposition march from Saryan Street to Pushkin Street in Yerevan,” but the demonstrator “manifested open disrespect to the public. He deliberately violated public order, during which he used violence in connection with his official duties, hitting the face of a police officer with his hand. ” Now measures are being taken to find that serious criminal.

The next case is titled ․ “May 2 case of hooliganism on Kiyan Street in Yerevan” – a citizen participating in an initiative organized by the political opposition, with a group of people, showing open disrespect to the society, deliberately violated public order, which was accompanied by a woman at the scene by using violence against. ” Unfortunately, the violence is not described, but the person charged with hooliganism under Article 258, Part 3, Clause 1, has been arrested. Measures are being taken to find out the identities of the other people involved in the incident.

Naturally, a criminal case was initiated on the case of violence against actor Sos Janibekyan, and the violence was “shouted obscene expressions”, and one of the marchers used violence against the actor with an object in his hand. It is not said about what subject, but we know that there was a plastic bottle.
The next criminal case was initiated in connection with the “hooliganism” that took place in front of the YSU building on Abovyan Street, which manifested itself in the form of closing the street with garbage cans, “arguing loudly”, dragging each other and swearing. One of the participants committed an act equivalent to murder, “kicking a car on the street.” Measures have been taken to find all the criminals.

The penitentiary also arrested two residents of Armavir region on “suspicion of material interest in participating in the rallies.” You understand, they had suspicions, but without going deeper, 2 people were arrested immediately.

A case has been filed in connection with a case of hooliganism on Charents Street
, where a group of marchers, swearing and threatening to use violence, tried to break through the “living wall” set up by public order police officers and enter a house on Charents Street in Yerevan. inside the gates. ” Pay attention to the terms of the so-called lawyers, they have tried.

Another case has been initiated in connection with the “hooliganism” committed at the intersection of Komitas Avenue and Gulbenkian Avenue
. Two people have been charged. Here, too, are the demonstrators, “violating public order, showing open disrespect to the public, blocking the road with tires, and then setting them on fire.”

Another case was filed against a police car for damaging a car and bringing two protesters from the intersection of Isakov streets in Athens on the grounds of hooliganism. “One of the detained citizens kicked, damaged the car door, the door glass.” Those people have been arrested.
Finally, a case was initiated for posting the photos of the NA CP deputies on their backpacks, which the Investigative Committee considered as “indecent behavior” and detained the protesters.

Now we only offer to compare these actions with the events and actions committed in 2008 and 2018 under the leadership of Nikol Pashinyan: burned cars, looted shops, victims, damaged state property, curses and threats, blackmail and pressure, coffins and black crowns. We also suggest remembering that Nikol Pashinyan, convicted for the events of 2008, was pardoned by Serzh Sargsyan and released early, and in 2022, through the mediation of the RA Prosecutor General and the decision of the Court of Cassation, he was acquitted.

Ամբողջական հոդվածը կարող եք կարդալ այս հասցեով՝ : https://hraparak-am.translate.goog/post/2e0eff5c3271bf3a789ac3e35edb6500?_x_tr_sl=hy&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=nui,sc

© 2008 – 2021 «Հրապարակ օրաթերթ»

RFE/RL YEREVAN — The Armenian capital has witnessed weeks of demonstrations with protesters’ calls now growing louder for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian to step down.

The demonstrations in Yerevan have intensified in recent days with dozens having been arrested amid clashes with police outside the parliament in what has been described as some of the worst unrest since snap elections in September 2021.

Opponents accuse Pashinian not only of bungling the 2020 war with Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, but claim his recent statements on the mainly ethnic-Armenian region indicate that his government is ready to make concessions to reach a formal peace deal with Azerbaijan.

Baku wants the peace deal to be based on five elements, including mutual recognition of each other’s territorial integrity — and Pashinian has publicly stated that the elements are acceptable to Yerevan in principle.

Besides a tougher diplomatic line, Baku has taken other bolder action in recent months, including military buildups along the border of the two countries and some military maneuvering to push deeper into Armenian-held territory.

After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan and Karabakh Armenians — backed by Yerevan — went to war, leading to mass displacement and ethnic cleansing. In 1994, the two sides signed a cease-fire agreement, leaving the Armenian side with de facto control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and surrounding territories that belonged to Azerbaijan.

Attempts to negotiate a durable peace agreement by the United States, Russia, and France under the auspices of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have proved unsuccessful. Major fighting broke out in 2016 and 2020.

The 45-day conflict in 2020 claimed more than 6,500 lives. It ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire after Azerbaijani forces had taken back most of the territories it had lost two decades earlier, leaving Armenians in possession of much less territory.

That has angered many Armenians, many of whom have long called for the status of Nagorno-Karabakh to be resolved. Under Baku’s five-point plan, there would be nothing to solve, since both sides would have given up any territorial claims on the other.

With Russia — which has had a military force deployed in areas controlled by Armenia since the end of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war — bogged down in Ukraine, analysts say Baku is now emboldened.

“I do think the ‘five-point proposal’ was certainly facilitated by the Ukraine war with Baku taking advantage of Russian and Western distraction, along with Armenia recognizing that they cannot depend on Russia any more after 2020. Mainly Russian difficulties in peacekeeping and the unpredictable nature of the country,” explained Paul Stronski, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Foundation’s Russia and Eurasia Program, in e-mailed remarks to RFE/RL.

“Negotiations are indeed proceeding at a time of deep uncertainty in the region due to the Ukraine war,” added Stronski, a former White House and State Department official.

Baku Takes Territory, Cuts Energy

Weeks after Russia launched its assault on Ukraine, Baku took aggressive steps in Nagorno-Karabakh. On March 8, a key pipeline supplying gas to the Karabakh Armenian population was cut off on Azerbajani-held territory, leaving those living there without heat for two weeks.

Azerbaijani forces then advanced into areas ostensibly under Russian peacekeeper control, forcing the evacuation of one Armenian village and taking control of strategic mountains inside Armenian-populated areas. Three local Armenian fighters were killed and 15 wounded on March 25 after Azerbaijan reportedly launched drone strikes.

To justify its actions, Baku pointed to the 2020 cease-fire agreement which stipulates the withdrawal of Armenian troops, although the status of local Karabakh Armenian forces — the self-styled Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army — is left ambiguous under terms of the truce.

“Azerbaijan has been testing the will and capacity of the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, as their presence is the one major drawback from Azerbaijan’s perspective in the cease-fire terms agreed in November 2020. Baku has insisted all along that they are temporary, as it wants to avoid their becoming a central component of some new ‘frozen’ situation,” explained Laurence Broers, an associate fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Program at Chatham House, in e-mailed comments to RFE/RL.

EU To The Rescue?

Amid rising regional tensions, the European Union facilitated a third meeting — hosted by European Council President Charles Michel — between Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on April 6. The two agreed to instruct their respective foreign ministers to work on a peace treaty and convene a joint border commission by late April.

On April 12, Aliyev said that, during the April 6 meeting, Armenia had agreed to the five points spelled out by Baku, including, crucially, no territorial claims.

Addressing parliament a day later on April 13, Pashinian said Yerevan was facing international pressure to scale down its demands on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, and that there was no alternative to peace with Azerbaijan. Pashinian also stressed that the Karabakh issue was about rights, not territories, and peace negotiations should ensure security guarantees, rights, and freedoms for Karabakh Armenians, as well as clarify the territory’s final status.

On April 13, de facto Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arayik Harutyunian rejected as “impossible” Azerbaijani rule over the region, while the de facto Nagorno-Karabakh parliament on April 14 demanded an end to the “disastrous” Armenian position.

Back in Yerevan, on April 22, opposition parliamentarian and Deputy Parliament Speaker Ishkhan Saghatelian announced the start of a “nonstop street struggle” to oust Pashinian. The Armenian prime minister came to power in 2018 with massive street protests.

The current wave of demonstrations is spearheaded by Armenia’s two opposition parliamentary factions — Hayastan and Pativ Unem Alliances — led by former presidents, Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sarkisian, respectively.

Pashinian should be able to weather the latest wave of protests, argued Stronski, who worked on Russia and Central Asian policy at the White House National Security Council from 2012 to 2014.

“The opposition repeatedly tried to tarnish [Pashinian’s] image, claiming he is the most pro-Russian leader in the country’s history, that he abused his power, led a disastrous war. So far, none of this has stuck because the opposition controlled by the former regime, former presidents — all of whom have been in the public eye for far too long, offer no new ideas, and are deeply disliked by many Armenians,” Stronski said.

In the West, however, Pashinian has been praised for being willing to make compromises.

Echoing the EU reaction, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised Pashinian’s conciliatory position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict after talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoian in Washington on May 2.

He also said that the United States and Armenia are now working to “strengthen and deepen” their relations through a “strategic dialogue” that was launched in 2019 but subsequently suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There is a lot of international momentum for a deal,” said Stronski. “So, we’ll see what happens.”

Pashinian Pushed To The Corner?

Moscow, however, is suspicious that Brussels and Washington are trying to elbow it out.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the United States and France on April 8 of refusing to work with Russia within the OSCE format following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

On April 21, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the West of “paralyzing” the Minsk Group and condemned the EU for “appropriating” the peace process.

Given Russia’s role in the region, both Azerbaijan and Armenia have tried to remain neutral, not voting in favor, for example, of UN General Assembly resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or a vote to kick Russia off the UN Human Rights Council.

Pashinian and Putin reaffirmed Russia’s key role in the peace process in a joint declaration issued after their face-to-face talks held on April 19.

Despites the protests on the streets at home, Pashinian’s options are limited, argued Broers.

“I don’t think this is just or even mainly about Western pressure, but more about a lack of any options after a devastating military defeat in 2020,” he said. “Add to this additional pressures coming from Azerbaijan and also from Turkey, which appears to be biding its time on normalization with Armenia until Yerevan agrees to Baku’s terms on Karabakh, and those coming from the much shakier long-term horizon for the Armenia-Russia security alliance after the war in Ukraine, you can see that Pashinian’s scope for maneuver is limited.”