In the official message released today by the U.S. Embassy in Armenia on their official Facebook page, U.S. government strongly encouraged police and protesters “to adhere to peaceful, legal means for freedom of assembly as provided for by the Armenian constitution.”

The message also stated “we urge government to show restraint to allow for peaceful protest and we urge those exercising their freedom of assembly to do so responsibly, to avoid violence, and to prevent an escalation of tensions. We are concerned over reports of violence against journalists and demonstrators; we emphasize the need for those responsible for violence against police or demonstrators to be held accountable under the law.”

The announcement concluded with the statement “A peaceful resolution requires meaningful political dialogue in good faith.”