Fidanian on the Detention of Russian Citizens Protesting

The Deputy Chief of Police of Armenia, Ara Fidanian, addressed the issue of the detention of Russian citizens participating in an anti-war peaceful protest on Freedom Square during a press briefing following the government session on September 1.

According to him, a mere notification does not imply that certain gatherings are permitted or can be conducted. He stated, “The law on the freedom of assembly explicitly defines the limitations of such freedom. It specifies that if there is information or potential actions aimed against public order, these can lead to restrictions. The police had specific information that indicated the presence of individuals expressing differing viewpoints in that area, which implied that clashes could not be ruled out. As a result, a decision was made to interrupt that gathering at that moment,” emphasized the deputy police chief.