  Yerevan standoff: Leader of armed group goes on hunger strike July 28, 2016 - 15:13 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The leader of the armed group that seized a police headquarters in Yerevan a little under two weeks ago, Pavel Manukyan, went on a hunger strike on Wednesday, July 27, his lawyer, Inesa Petrosyan said, according to Sputnik Armenia. The group are members of the Sasna Tsrer movement. One police officer was killed, and several more were wounded in a shootout that broke as the members of the group hit the gates of the police department with a track. All the captives have been set free. The group demand the release of Jirair Sefilian, the founder of the Founding Parliament who was arrested on June 20, as he and a group of people had allegedly planned to seize premises and communication facilities, including the Yerevan TV tower. They also demand the resignation of President Serzh Sargsyan and the creation of a transitional government. According to Petrosyan, Manukyan’s condition is still assessed as serious. Manukyan and his son, Aram, were wounded in a shootout with the police on Tuesday, and were immediately hospitalized. Following these events, the gunmen took four paramedics hostage as the latter were trying to help the injured members of the group inside the seized police HQ. One of the doctors was released on Wednesday evening. Related links:   Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18.   Partner news |  Latest news Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan  A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia.U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel.Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. |
