Today in the morning, at about 5:20 Different departments of the RA Police, in the contrary to the provisions of the RA Law on Freedom of Assembly, applied force and special means against the citizens carrying out peaceful sit-in strike.
Specifically, the police used water cannons and batons against the protestors. Even after dispersal of the action the police (who mostly were in civilian clothing) chased the protesters and took all those who did not manage to run away, to the territorial divisions of police. According to the report of “Union of Informed Citizens” more than 200 persons were taken to the police departments. As a result all divisions and sub-divisions of the Yerevan Police are overcrowded and many people were taken to the police departments in Abovyan and Ashtarak.
Among the citizens who were taken to the police departments are the journalists of “Hetq”, GALA TV, Haykakan Zhamanak Daily, news.am and panarmenian.net as well.
There is information that on the way to police departments the policemen applied force against the citizens (including the journalists as well). There is information that during the police actions the policemen intentionally damaged the photo, video and audio technique of the journalists and their chips.
A lot of citizens with injuries were taken to the hospitals; many of them are currently in the hospitals.
“Union of Informed Citizens”
