YEREVAN. – Ara Vardanyan, former director of the Hayastan (Armenia) All Armenian Fund, on Monday visited world boxing champion Israyel Hakobkokhyan, who is on an indefinite hunger strike in downtown Yerevan.

Vardanyan recalled in a conversation with journalists that when Garegin Chukaszyan—a member of the Sasna Tsrer armed group—had gone on a hunger strike, PM Nikol Pashinyan had visited him. "(…) and he [Chukaszyan] stopped the hunger strike.

It turns out that when the members of a terrorist group go on a hunger strike, the state seems to support, go and meet them at the highest level; but when the pride of our nation [Hakobkokhyan] declares a hunger strike, there is no one from the halls of power who will propose to him to stop the hunger strike, or at least listen to his view. I believe this is the reason for [the authorities] not coming [to see him] because they are not ready to listen to any criticism. A group of people who have worked against Armenia for years have come to power today with the help of the people," Vardanyan added, in particular.

World boxing champion Israel Hakobkokhyan has been on a hunger strike since August 12, and against the incumbent authorities’ policy, which, according to him, violates Armenian national values. He is protesting against the Istanbul and the Lanzarote Conventions, the Amulsar gold mine project, and some other matters.