It is the third day that the PPSR is occupied. The adjacent streets are closed. The police do not allow the journalists to approach the territory of the regiment.
Then the NSS issued an official statement: “Today in the morning, a group of armed persons entered the area of the police patrol service regiment and using the threat and violence kept the persons there.”
According to the information provided by the Ministry of Healthcare, as a result of the incident which took place in the territory of the RA Police Patrol Service Regiment, 4 citizens of the victims are getting stationary treatment, 2 of them in “Erebuni” Medical Center.
According to the information of “Europe in Law Association” NGO, Police systematically deprives Citizens from Access to Legal Aid.
On July 18, according to the statement of NSS, the persons that were in the territory of the Police Patrol Service Regiment were provided with food and other necessary medicines. As a result of complex operations conducted by the law enforcement agencies, as well as the negotiations another hostage has been taken out from the occupied territory. At the same time the members of the armed group informed that they had released a young policeman whose engagement ceremony should take place soon. Currently there are 4 hostages remaining in the territory of the regiment.
On the same day in the evening the citizens gathered in the Freedom Square. They decided to organize a peaceful march to Khortenatsi Street. But the police blocked their way and did not allow marching. The situation got tensed. Clashes took place between the police and the protestors. Later the citizens and the police reached an agreement and marched to the blocked Khorenatsi Street.
On Sunday, the 17th of July, early in the morning, the video which was published in the social networks gave the start to the situation that now exists.
Then the NSS issued an official statement: “Today in the morning, a group of armed persons entered the area of the police patrol service regiment and using the threat and violence kept the persons there.”
The armed persons entered at 05.20 pm, residents heard noise and shooting. As a result of confrontation the Police Colonel Artur Vanoyan was killed. Members of the armed group were wounded. One of them was taken to the hospital. Two police officers were taken to the hospital as well. The state of their health is sufficient.
The members of the armed group call themselves “Sasana Tsrer” group. Most of them are members of the “Founding Assembly” Political Initiative.
The group demands to release their leader Zhirayr Sefilyan and the prisoners Hayk Kyureghyan, Volodya Avetisyan, Shant Harutyunyan and friends.
Initially, Deputy Chief of the RA Police Vardan Yeghiazaryan and the Deputy Chief of Yerevan Police Valeri Osipyan went to negotiate with the group. The group members have taken them as hostages.
While the police and armed members of the group were negotiating, the police officers were detaining active civilians in Yerevan and in the marzes, conduct searches in the houses of the armed group members.
On the first day the armed group members stated that they were not going to surrender. The police stated that they were not going to meet their request and release Zhirayr Sefilyan.
On Sunday, President Serzh Sargsyan held a consultation with the representatives of the law enforcement bodies. The participants reported the details of the situation created in the capital city as a result of armed incident that took place today in the morning and the measures taken by the law enforcement agencies.
ame day MP Nikol Pashinyan went to the PPSR and filmed the members of the group.
Although on 17 July the social networks in the territory of Armenia were blocked, but in the afternoon they were opened. Pages describing the event were created. The pages called to the citizens to go out. On 17 July the police were detaining and bringing protesters to the police stations. Then the protesters were released.
The advocates were alerting about the flagrant violations of human rights. Many citizens were informing about the force used against them by the police. The problem was even in the focused of the Human Rights defender Arman Tatoyan. But he was issuing unaddressed and justifying the police actions statements. Despite all these police continued to use force on 18 July as well.
Below we present a brief infographics on the events:
