VIDEO: Chain and Mirror Protests Near the Investigative Committee Building

Members of the movement "Tavush for the Homeland" held a chain protest in front of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, demanding the release of their supporters who were detained and arrested near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on May 31.

Earlier, lawyer Ruben Melikyan stated that the citizens detained near the MFA building on May 31 had not been formally charged, which means they should all be released after the 72-hour period following their arrests expires. For one group of activists, this 72-hour period ends on June 3 at 3:30 PM, while for others it concludes at 5:00 PM.

Member of the "Azatashen" organization, Ishkhan Gevorgyan, and several participants in the protest chained themselves and stood directly in front of the police officers. This was not the only action in front of the Investigative Committee building. Another group of young people organized a flashmob, raising mirrors and suggesting that law enforcement officers observe their actions from the side.

Previously, the "Tavush for the Homeland" movement demanded that Investigative Committee Chairman Argishti Kyaramyan or another representative come down to explain the reasons for the arrests of the 27 activists. In response, a police representative stated that no one from the Investigative Committee would come down, as according to procedure, a formal request must be submitted.

In response, movement leader Bagrat Galstanyan addressed the head of the Investigative Committee, Argishti Kyaramyan. "Mr. Kyaramyan, can’t you meet with the citizens? Don’t you want to come down from your heights? We will somehow come to you, but right now you can send someone down," Galstanyan said.

It is worth noting that supporters of the "Tavush for the Homeland" movement gathered near the MFA on May 31. Movement leader Bagrat called on Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to come down and respond to the statements made in recent days by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The MFA responded that they could not allow representatives of the movement to enter.

After a while, tensions rose near the MFA, leading to clashes between police and participants in the protest. Law enforcement began detaining individuals. Later, the Investigative Committee announced that 28 members of the "Tavush for the Homeland" movement had been arrested. According to the Investigative Committee's statement, participants in the protest threw stones, containers filled with water, smoke bombs, and other objects at the police. A criminal case was initiated under the first part of Article 327 of the RA Criminal Code by the Main Investigation Department for Especially Important Cases of the Investigative Committee of Armenia.