No to Transfer of Territories, No to Deploying any Peacekeeping Mission, They are Permyakovs, Hands away from Artsakh: Protest March against Russia-led Policy

A protest march from Freedom Square to RA Embassy to Armenia has been launched today. The participants appeared with a statement, by which they demanded from Russia to fulfill its obligations as a de jure ally, and respect the national interests and security of Armenia in its forthcoming decisions, immediately suspend arms selling to Azerbaijan. Davit Sanasaryan, one of the organizers of the demonstration, stated in his speech that today is the day of Lenin’s statute collapse, and Russia is also a Lenin, however, not as a statute, “We won’t allow transfer of a single territory, we won’t allow deploying a peacekeeping mission, they are Permyakovs. Hands away from Artsakh.”

Then the demonstrators moved to RF Embassy, the route was the following: Northern Avenue—Abovyan Street—one-minute stop by RA Government—Vazgen Sargsyan Street—RF Embassy.

Slogans like “We are owners of Artsakh,” “No to rag authorities,” “We are the decision-makers” and etc. were announced by the demonstrators. The police accompanied the demonstrators, then by RF Embassy it not only pushed away the reporters, but also hindered their work. By RF Embassy the police made the demonstrators separate in two parts, reasoning that they obstacle pedestrian’s road. They didn’t allow the reporters to perform their duty.

Hovsep Khurshudyan, political analyst, and Davit Sanasaryan threw coins towards RF Embassy, expressing their discontent of the fact that Russia sells arms to Azerbaijan and doesn’t support its strategic ally. And in response to Dmitri Rogozin’s recent statement, Davit Sanasaryan threw an egg towards the Embassy building. Note, Dmitri Rogozin, RF Deputy Prime Minister, said,

“Gruesome demagogy has been launched, I don’t want to point, but some citizens didn’t behave well. War demands self-possession, and not any vague propaganda drivels.”

Styopa Safaryan, founder and head of the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs, Anahit Bakhshyan, member of “Heritage” party, Daniel Ioannisyan, director of the Union of Informed Citizens were among the participants, and due to the “civil” behavior by the police we didn’t have the possibility to film their statements.

Footage by 168.am will be provided soon.

By Razmik Martirosyan