YEREVAN. – A group of civil activists have gathered in front of the Armenian capital city Yerevan Municipality building since Tuesday morning (PHOTOS). 

They demand the dismissals of Municipality Transport Department Chief Henrik Navasardyan and Yerevan Trans Company Director Misak Hambardzumyan.

The situation is tense in front of the city hall building.

The activists are attempting to enter the building, to attend the session of the Yerevan Council of Elders.   

The police have closed the municipality entrance and do not permit the activists to climb the stairs.

Ten activists were detained in ten minutes.

The activists stated that the police actions are unlawful, since the law enforcement officers have taken many of the activists to the police station for just sitting on the steps.

To note, a group of activists—who had started a sit-in on July 26—have several demands, which include the dismissals of Municipality Transport Department Chief Henrik Navasardyan and Yerevan Trans Company Director Misak Hambardzumyan.     

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the Yerevan Municipality recent decision to increase the public transport fares in the city had brought about outbursts, several groups were formed in the social networks, and the initiatives were staging protests and distributing pamphlets against this decision. In addition, the Free Car initiative was launched, along the lines of which Armenia’s numerous well-known personalities, MPs, and ordinary residents were providing—with their own vehicles—free transportation to the people.

And on July 25, Mayor Taron Margaryan suspended the decision on the fare hike; but the wave of the aforesaid movement is still alive. The activists demand that the persons, who made the decision on raising the transport fares, be brought to account, and those officials, who used violence against and cursed at the activists, be punished.                     

Photos by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am