YEREVAN. – It is the second day that the supporters of the Sasna Tsrer armed group have closed off Arshakunyats Avenue where the Shengavit District seat of the Common Jurisdiction Court of the City of Yerevan is located, in the capital city of Armenia.

The Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter at the scene informed that the Sasna Tsrer supporters had pitched tents on the avenue and spent the night there. They demand the lifting of the preventive measure of arrest, which has been handed down regarding the defendants, and the latter’s immediate release. 

The court on Wednesday denied the defense’s motion to commute this preventive measure. Subsequently, the Sasna Tsrer supporters went out of the court building and blocked Arshakunyats Avenue.

Harutyun Baghdasaryan, an attorney of the defendants, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that by closing off this street the public is trying to make the new incumbent authorities realize that it is impossible to administer justice with former methods.

And when asked whether the matter can be resolved in this manner, the attorney responded as follows: “The political power [in Armenia] has changed by closing streets; that is, some occurrences have given their positive results. In this case, if thousands of people take part in the street struggle, the result will be much more tangible.”  

This protest action has caused traffic jams throughout Yerevan. 

In protest of the then authorities, the Sasna Tsrer armed group had taken over a police patrol regiment building in Yerevan, held hostages, but later had surrendered in July 2016.

Three police officers were killed during the two-week standoff.