Arrest of Dozens of Government Protesters in Armenia

Protests against the election of former Armenian President Serge Sargsyan as Prime Minister continue, with the country's police confirming the arrest of 180 government protesters in the capital on Friday, April 20. These protests have persisted for the eighth consecutive day, with dozens of protesters arrested in recent days. Sargsyan, who was the President of Armenia until two weeks ago, was nominated by the ruling party for the Prime Minister position following a change in the country's government system and was ultimately appointed as the new Prime Minister with 76 votes in favor and 17 against. Three years ago, Armenian voters approved a referendum to change the government system from presidential to parliamentary. This change has reduced the powers of the President and granted more authority to the Prime Minister. Opponents, led by Nikol Pashinyan, have stated that the new parliamentary system allows the 63-year-old Sargsyan to remain in power. Oppositional lawyer Arefat Mirzoyan told the protesters that the government has offered negotiations to the opposition in recent days, stating, "We can only negotiate on one issue: the surrender of Sargsyan and the ruling Republican Party of Armenia." Mr. Pashinyan had called on government opponents to demonstrate in the center of Yerevan, the capital. Opponents have gathered in several areas of the capital, blocking several streets and main roads leading to neighboring cities. Meanwhile, truck drivers have joined the protesters, blocking three main intersections in the capital with their vehicles. Protests are also ongoing in Gyumri, the second-largest city in Armenia, where opponents are attempting to block the highway leading to Yerevan. These protests have also emerged in Vanadzor, the third major city in the country with a population of three million. The police issued an official statement warning that they would confront the protesters and take necessary measures. At 3:30 local time, police reported the arrest of 183 individuals. Videos released show plainclothes individuals dragging some protesters into unmarked vehicles. It is unclear whether they are police forces and whether the detainees are included in the list released by the police department. Pashinyan, in an interview with "Current Time" television, denied any accusations against the protesters of public disorder, stating, "These protests are entirely peaceful, but there are new elements in the nature of these protests." He urged the police not to support Sargsyan, as they are not Sargsyan's police but the police of the Republic of Armenia and the people. He stated that Sargsyan wants to encircle Armenia with barbed wire and riot shields and hide behind the police. Throughout the capital, groups of young activists, students, and other protesters have blocked streets, causing traffic and the deployment of police forces. Mikael Choukasyan, a 23-year-old student from Yerevan State University, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that "people want change." "People are here because they are dissatisfied with the country's situation and the past ten years and do not want this trajectory to continue in the same way. People expect changes and to be heard." Mikael Nazarian, another street protester, noted that the protesters come from various social classes with different political backgrounds. According to him, the unique situation of the current protests is that people from all sectors – the right, left, moderates, anarchists, and nationalists – can be seen in the protest lines, indicating that significant changes are occurring in society. On Friday, police forcibly removed journalist Trair Moradyan of the NGO "Union of Informed Citizens" while he was covering events at the Yerevan-Svan highway protests. Police warned media activists to maintain a "safe distance" from the protest sites, as they were "performing their legal duties" in those areas. Plainclothes forces placed Mr. Moradyan in a vehicle and released him outside the protests. A day before this incident, Moradyan was assaulted by unidentified individuals at the protest scene in front of government buildings, despite identifying himself as a journalist, and was hospitalized due to head injuries. Armenian President Armen Sargsyan, who has no familial connection to Serge Sargsyan despite the name similarity, called for negotiations on Thursday after the arrest of 120 protesters and the escalation of protests. He stated that he is sure that the only way out is through negotiation and mutual respect. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation, as the main coalition of the ruling party in Armenia, has also called for a "common solution" among the leaders of the country's political groups. The United States has urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid violence. Russia has also stated that laws should not be violated. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has expressed concern over police violence and urged Armenian authorities to support the rights of freedom and civil protests in the country.