YEREVAN. - Over two dozen people have been detained by the police in Yerevan’s Khorenatsi street, where protests have been staged for already several days.

Gyumri’s Asparez Journalists’ Club President Levon Barseghyan is among them, Armenian News – NEWS.am correspondent reports.

The police press-service has not yet ascertained the concrete number of the detainees. 

On Wednesday night, the Armenian police announced about a shootout which took place in the territory of the police regiment seized by Sasna Tsrer armed group. As a result, a law enforcement officer, as well as Sasna Tsrer armed group members Pavel Manukyan and his son Aram were wounded.  All three were immediately hospitalized. Besides, the police informed that two members of the group have surrendered.

For its part, Sansa Tsrer armed group announced that “the police have attacked the territory of the regiment; Pavel Manukyan, Aram Manukyan, Gevorg Iritsyan and probably other members of the group have been wounded. The police have taken Pavel, Aram, Gagik Yeghiazaryan and one more member of the group.”

A group of armed men stormed into a Yerevan police patrol regiment, on early morning on July 17, and took several police officers hostage. Deputy regiment commander Artur Vanoyan was killed, and four other officers of the law plus one of the attackers were wounded during the ensuing gunfire exchange. On Saturday the hostages were released.

The gunmen demand the release of Jirair Sefilian, an imprisoned opposition activist.

For their part, the opposition activists have been staging protests near the seized police station building for several days on end, demanding the authorities not to use military operation to neutralize the armed group.