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Vanadzor

As of 8.30 pm Yerevan time 

It was impossible to move the equipment necessary for the assembly from France Square to Baghramyan Avenue, and the protesters decided to return to the initial place of the assembly.

Tomorrow’s action plan was discussed at the assembly.

The protesters decided to continue the decentralized activities and again to cordon off several streets of Yerevan simultaneously.

Nikol Pashinyan urged to do the same in other areas in Armenia and to commence the actions at night.

The end goal is to cordon off the building of the RA National Assembly on the morning of April 17.

The convoy of cars headed from Gyumri to the place of the assembly was not allowed to move forward; the protesters decided to go ahead and meet them if it continued like that. Following this, it was allowed for the convoy to move forward.

At this moment, there are no longer any detainees at police departments.

As of 6.30 pm Yerevan time

After receiving medical assistance, Nikol Pashinyan returned to Baghramyan Avenue and announced that the assembly was to be moved from France Square to Baghramyan Avenue.

The assembly is to commence at 7.00 pm.

The RA Ministry of Healthcare reported that, as at 4.30 pm, 46 citizens turned to medical institutions in Yerevan for medical assitance. 6 of those citizens were police officers. Some patients, having received outpatient medical care, were discharged from medical institutions. In general, civilians have superficial injuries of lower limbs; the necessary primary medical care is being provided to them.

Criminal Cases were Initiated in Connection with Organizing and Holding Assemblies in Yerevan in Violation of the Procedure Established by Law and Mass Disorders

Since April 13, 2018, RA NA Deputy Nikol Pashinyan has organized and held assemblies in the city, during which the requirements of the RA Law on Freedom of Assembly have been violated on multiple occasions; the exercise of the right to freedom of movement and other rights of the residents of the capital city have been violated, and the normal activity of organizations has been disrupted.

In this regard, criminal cases have been initiated under Article 225 § 1 and 2 and Article 225.1 § 1. The preliminary investigation of those cases was assigned to the RA Special Investigation Service.

Source: Public Relations Department of the RA Prosecutor’s Office

As of 5.00 pm Yerevan time

Nikol Pashinyan, who attempted to remove the barbed wires, and other protesters were injured and are now receiving medical assistance.

Some protesters were injured due to the special measures applied by the police.

As reported by the media, some police officers were also transferred to the medical center.

According to some at the place of the assembly, the police seized 6-7 citizens on Baghramyan-Orbeli crossroads. The citizens are held in a police car.

At 3.57 pm the Police released a statement to Nikol Pashinyan.

See the translated text of the statement below:

STATEMENT TO NIKOL PASHINYAN

The public order has been grossly violated as a result of the violent actions by the participants in the assembly led by you on Baghramyan Avenue. All the warnings, demands and other restrictive actions of the police are now ineffective. Thus, guided by Article 33 of the RA Law on Freedom of Assembly, the Police demand to cease the assembly.

In case of your absence from the place of the assembly or failure to comply with the police demand, upon the end of the reasonable period of time established, the police are to disperse the assembly by application of force and special measures.

As of 16.00 pm Yerevan time

Nikol Pashinyan decided to go to work at the National Assembly, in front of which a large police force had gathered and was not allowing to move forward.

The protesters headed by Nikol Pashinyan decided to break through the police barricade and remove the barbed wires. Several protesters were damaged in the clashes.

The police started using special means.

As of 15.00 pm Yerevan time

Today, since the morning of April 16, 2018, the representatives of the movement “Take a step, reject Serzh” (the movement is against former RA President Serzh Sargsyan being elected Prime Minister) blocked dozens of streets in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

Following the awareness-raising action that lasted for 5 hours, the protesters gathered at France Square in Yerevan. Uniting from different parts of Yerevan, the protesters are going to continue the march.

Prior to this, a group of persons who were intending to drive along Heratsi Street but were unable to do so due to the protesters having blocked it used violence against the students protesting on the street. The passengers of the car attacked several protesters and caused bodily injury to them.

All of this occurred before the eyes of the police officers. The persons who subjected the protesters to violence drove away from the street.

At the moment protest actions are being held in Gyumri and Vanadzor as well.

See also: azatutyun.am

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