Heritage leader to continue hunger strike unless his demands are met

PanARMENIAN.Net - Leader of Heritage party Raffi Hovannisian, who declared a hunger strike on March 15, said he will continue the initiative unless his demands are met or as long as the God gives him will.

He admitted that a hunger strike is a radical means of political struggle, but noted that he does not cherish an illusion and is well aware of the reality in which he lives.

According to Hovannisian, sometimes emergency situations demand a radical counteraction, but he does not want anyone to subject himself to physical deprivations, as it causes damage to health.

He added that his family objected to his decision.

Hovannisian said that first the authorities should correct the mistakes existing in Armenia, but the public should also protect its rights. He noted that representatives of various political parties and ordinary people have visited him since the evening of March 15.

The member of the Armenian parliament told journalists that the RA National Assembly leadership or representatives of the Ombudsman have not visited him yet.

According to Hovannisian, representatives of the Red Cross came to see him and wondered whether he had a tent for the night.

During the extraordinary congress of Heritage on March 15, Hovannisian urged Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to resign and thus to ensure fair and independent elections in the country. He also announced the start of “Hungry for Change: Freedom and Justice in Armenia” hunger strike and promised to coordinate his future steps with the party members. Hovannisian spend the night of March 16 in Freedom Square.