Yerevan: Armed group says has no intention to surrender July 23, 2016 - 18:24 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Members of the armed group that seized a police HQ in Yerevan and took everyone inside hostage said Saturday, July 23 that they are not going to surrender to the authorities. The armed 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 Ural 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 creation of a transitional government. “We are not going to lay down arms. We are not stressed out at all or confused,” one of the members of group, Arayik Khandoyan said.
“And we seek to spread this atmosphere all around Armenia. We wait for people to stand up and shape this movement so that we all achieve our common goal,” another of them, Varuzhan Avetisyan added. Minutes earlier, another of the members, Pavel Manukyan called on people to not shun difficulties as “we are struggling against the internal enemy. “We are not going anywhere,” he said. Avetisyan reiterated the group’s demands and said they are afraid of nothing. Meanwhile, Karabakh war hero Vitaly Balasanyan who has been mediating negotiations between the group and the law enforcement bodies said minutes later that the majority of the members and Sefilian himself have given up the idea of President Sargsyan's resignation.
"They want the release of political prisoners, as well as all those who have been arrested during the recent protests near the police HQ," Balasanyan said. Also, he assured the media representatives that the President has issued an order disallowing the use of force by all the law enforcement agencies.
Another of the members, Sedrak Nazaryan later urged Balasanyan against making statements on the group's behalf, confirming that Sasna Tsrer still want President Sargsyan's resignation. The group hours earlier agreed to release the captives in return for establishing a news bureau and meeting with media representatives. Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. 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. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. U.S. believes peace is “possible” in South Caucasus The United States continues to believe that peace is possible in the South Caucasus, Vedant Patel said. |