YEREVAN. - According to “Stand up, Armenia” initiative Council member Andrias Ghukasyan, if the people launch a struggle against the authorities, both the police and the army will side with the people and the authorities will thus remain alone, Ghukasyan said at the rally held by the initiative in Yerevan’s Republic Square. He also urged everyone in the Square to join their struggle.

“We will stay here until we gather enough people to block the Republic Square,” he said.

In his words, there’s only one way of struggling against the authorities, namely limiting the working possibility of the government and ministries.

“Blocking of the ministry and government buildings will cause the authorities to face crisis. Unless the people do this, the regime will feel no crisis,” Ghukasyan said. 

Several members of the “Stand up, Armenia” initiative were detained from the Republic Square for disobeying the legitimate orders of the police.

The detainees were set free after several hours.

The initiative members have been staging a sit-in in Yerevan's Republic Square since July 27. They are demanding to revoke the decision on the electricity price hike in Armenia, as well as the resignation of Armenia's Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) members and nationalization of the Electric Networks of Armenia.