Hundreds of protesters arrested in Armenia
YEREVAN: Tens of thousands protested in Armenia’s capital against what they say is a power-grab by ex-president Serzh Sarkisian, as police arrested more than 230 people.
For the past week, opposition supporters have held mass rallies to denounce Sarkisian’s efforts to remain in power as prime minister after a decade serving as president.
On Friday, demonstrators waved national flags and held up placards reading “Sarkisian is a dictator” as protests in the impoverished former Soviet country went into their eighth day.
A reporter at the scene said there were tens of thousands of people at the rally in the capital.
“The whole world can see that this is a people’s velvet revolution, which very soon will be victorious,” opposition lawmaker and protest leader Nikol Pashinyan said at the rally Friday evening.
“Authorities have already started talking about being ready to begin a dialogue with us ... Sarkisian himself is a political corpse and one does not conduct a dialogue with a corpse, that boat has sailed,” he said.
Pashinyan added that he would be willing to discuss a timetable for the prime minister’s departure.
“Corruption and injustice are choking the country – if you want to open a small business, you have to bribe officials, the people from the tax service want bribes, teachers expect presents,” 52-year-old protester Mushegh Khachatryan said.
“It can’t go on like this ... but who created such a situation, who’s to answer for it? Serzh Sarkisian of course,” he added.
“The old generation should give up their place to the youth – a free, fair Armenia, where there’s decent education and plenty of jobs,” said Anna Minasyan, a 21-year-old student.
Protesters earlier tried to block roads in response to repeated calls by Pashinyan to paralyse traffic, but police prevented those attempts.
A police spokesman said more than 230 people were detained in Yerevan.
Protesters also rallied in the second city of Gyumri where they attempted to block a main road leading to the capital.
Constitutional amendments approved in 2015 have transferred power from the presidency to the premier.
Sarkisian in effect remained the country’s leader by taking the post of prime minister after a parliament vote this week.
Opposition supporters have criticised the 63-year-old leader over poverty, corruption and the influence of powerful oligarchs.
The spokesman for Sarkisian’s ruling Republican Party on Thursday said the newly elected prime minister would not step down.
Under a new parliamentary system of government, lawmakers elected Sarkisian as prime minister on Tuesday after he served a decade as president from 2008. — AFP