Police have released the lawyers who were apprehended during a protest in front of the National Assembly today, as Armenian News-NEWS.am’s correspondent reported from the scene.

Robert Hayrapetyan, one of the lawyers, told reporters that he doesn’t think the police actions are lawful, even though the police have drawn up a record on administrative offense for all four lawyers.

President of the Public Oversight Center NGO Babken Harutyunyan, who was also apprehended, told reporters the purpose of his and the other lawyers’ protest is to return the right of citizens to freedom of assembly and stated that extension of the state of emergency is exclusively politically motivated and is aimed at silencing the opposition and suppressing public discontent.

A short while ago, police also apprehended the citizens who had gathered in front of the police station after the lawyers were taken to that police station.

As reported earlier, lawyers Ruben Melikyan, Robert Hayrapetyan, Armen Galstyan, and Babken Harutyunyan were apprehended while they were protesting in front of the National Assembly, and demanding to permit the holding of peaceful rallies in a state of emergency.

These lawyers were standing at a social distance from each other, holding—in their words—"solitary actions," emphasizing that they do not violate any restrictions imposed by the Commandant of the state of emergency.

However, the police claimed that this action of theirs was a violation of the ban on rallies, and if the demonstrators did not stop it, they would be detained.

The National Assembly is currently debating on the government's decision to extend the state of emergency in Armenia for another month.

The aforesaid lawyers are urging the MPs to demand, during the debates, that the restrictions on rallies be lifted.

A state of emergency has been declared in Armenia since March 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic. And according to the decision of the Commandant, all types of gatherings are prohibited during this period.