At the same time, information gleaned by the investigations into police misconduct, as well as information gathered by credible independent reports, will inform future decisions about participation in Embassy programs and activities.
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Sasna Dzrer armed group stormed the police regiment territory and seized it on July 17. Those men also attacked three RFE/RL reporters and several other journalists working various Armenian media outlets.
“We join the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia and other worldwide organizations in calling for immediate investigations, restraint and tolerance on all sides”.
Flashbangs shot by police officers created a thick smoke, causing demonstrators to cover their faces.
Armed men holed up at a police station in Armenia’s capital Yerevan took several doctors hostage on Wednesday, ratcheting up tension in their 10-day standoff with security forces. Police detained 136 protesters during those clashes.
Authorities said they had launched a criminal probe into 23 of the protesters, including a member of the pro-Western Heritage party Armen Martirosyan. None of them was formally charged as of Saturday evening. The gunmen have since released some hostages and now hold two medics. “For security considerations, the police are once again urging citizens … not to stage marches to the special security zone [around the Erebuni compound] and create additional difficulties for law-enforcement bodies”, read their statement.
A tense standoff between riot police and armed supporters of an imprisoned politician continued Saturday in the Armenian capital, Yerevan.
“In order to ensure a peaceful settlement, the members of the armed group, their supporters, and the organizers of the demonstrations must give up unrealistic demands, illegal methods of struggle, and extreme measures”, said the statement.
The group are demanding the release of “political prisoners”, and remain inside the police station, where they are still holding a number of hostages. They say Sarkisian has become corrupt and too powerful.
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The group’s attractions for most protesters appear to be related to a widespread thirst for change and a belief that the Armenian government only understands the language of force.
