Opposition MP, followers attempt to block downtown traffic as Yerevan police call for order

The Yerevan Police Department has called on opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan and his followers to refrain from unlawful actions and to maintain public order and not endanger the freedoms and rights of citizens.

Police released a statement, saying: “Member of Parliament Nikol Pashinyan delivered a speech April 15 in the France Square of Yerevan, calling on citizens to conduct actions from the morning of April 16, actions – if implemented – would violate the law on assembly, and would contain features constituting crimes and would lead to criminal liability.

Most of these actions, in addition to causing significant harm to the free movement of citizens and other rights, the normal functioning of businesses, would also contain real danger to the life and health of citizens in individual cases.

We call on the organizers of the rally and certain participants to refrain from actions containing criminal offenses and not to endanger the freedoms and rights of citizens, as well as the lawful interests of organizations”.

The opposition MP had organized a two-week walking tour from the city of Gyumri to Yerevan.

After an April 13 rally, the MP and his supporters began a sit-in at the France Square of Yerevan.

In the early morning of April 16, organizers and certain participants of the rally blocked several major streets of downtown Yerevan, causing traffic jams.