Songwriter Mikayel Margaryan, who was protesting against power outage in front of the government building today, has been released and is celebrating his daughter’s 6th birthday under a candlelight.

He went live on Facebook and said there hasn’t been power in his house since morning.

The songwriter said he and his wife are employed, but can’t work due to the state of emergency declared in the country. “We haven’t been earning money since January. My children’s benefits and my mother’s pension are only enough for food. I also have a mortgage, and the power went out this morning. I came to the government building to express my protest,” he said.

Mikayel Margaryan said how he was apprehended and taken to the police station. “I went live near the government building, after which policemen approached me and said I couldn’t hold a demonstration, but I told them it wasn’t a demonstration. After that, they applied force against me. I noticed MP Sasun Mikayelyan and shouted out to him, but he turned away and left. I said I wasn’t rebelling, but they handcuffed me and my children and took us to the police station. I have participated in dozens of demonstrations, but police have never taken my mobile phone from me and handcuffed me.”

He thanked the members of Kamq NGO and MP Anna Kostanyan. “I’m not thanking the police. I’m going to sue them for unlawful and disproportionate force. I’m not thanking the Ombudsman’s Office either. I addressed the Office, but there was no response,” he said.