Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 20.05.2020:

·       A total of 230 COVID-19 new cases have been reported in Armenia in a day, bringing the total number of cases to 5,271.

A total of 44,071 tests have been conducted so far, and 2,758 people are currently being treated.

According to the latest data, 2,419 COVID-19 patients—255 people in the past day—have recovered thus far, whereas 67 others—an increase by three—have died in Armenia from the disease.

Two more persons who were diagnosed with the coronavirus have died of other illnesses. There are now 27 such cases in the country.

·       With 87 votes in favor, the National Assembly of Armenia approved the amendments to the Administrative Offences Code in the second and final reading and under an accelerated regime during a special parliamentary session today.

Based on the amendments, citizens will be fined AMD 10,000 for violating the regime of the state of emergency declared in the country.

Karabakh army soldier Henrik Aramyan has sustained a fatal gunshot wound under yet unknown circumstances at a military unit located in an easterly direction.

An investigation is underway to find out the details of this incident.

A criminal case has been launched in this regard.

·       Armenian police have apprehended the members of the opposition Adeqvat union who had gathered in front of the Police special department in Yerevan.

To note, Artur Danielyan, head of the Adeqvat union, was at the division of fight against terrorism and extremism of the Police's aforesaid special department. The union members had assembled outside this department to find out why Danielyan had been summoned there.

In the meantime, other protests took place in Armenia on Wednesday. The owners, employees, singers, musicians, toastmasters, and video crew of Armenia’s restaurants and event halls were holding a protest outside the government building.

They ask Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan, who is also Commandant of the current state of emergency in the country due to the COVID-19 situation, to allow them to work again, but observing the rules of safety.

However, Armenian police apprehended some protesters, including an Armenian renowned actor.

·       The assault drones, which were designed and updated by Artsakh and its Defense Army’s relevant specialists, on Tuesday successfully passed the final stage of their tests.

These drones operate independently of various technical means of locationing, have a high capacity of evasion and firing, their technical characteristics are not inferior to the similar devices of leading countries, and are easily guided, the Artsakh defense ministry told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In the coming months, these drones will enter the serial production phase and take their place in the defense system of Artsakh.