Hundreds march in Yerevan to support armed group

 July 28, 2016 - 22:22 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Hundreds of demonstrators briefly marched in Yerevan on Thursday, July 28 in support of an armed group that have seized an Armenian police station for already 12 days.

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. Also, they want the authorities to halt Karabakh negotiations fearing they are going to cede lands to Azerbaijan.

Gathering near Yerevan's central Freedom square, the protesters decided not to move towards Khorenatsi street where the occupied patrol department is situated, but to head to Baghramyan street where the presidential palace is.

It's currently raining heavily in the Armenian capital.

Several minutes on, however, an opposition MP, Armen Martirosyan urged the demonstrators to go home and gather again on Friday evening.