YEREVAN. – Opposition Civil Contract Party member, leader of the opposition protest Nikol Pashinyan returned to Baghramyan Avenue.

He joined the demonstrators after leaving the hospital where he was taken after sustaining injuries in clashes with police. He was welcomed by the leaders of two other parties, members of Yelk faction.

Nikol Pashinyan, jumped over barbed wires, and other protester followed him.  Police used special means, especially stun grenades, against the demonstrators.  As a result of these clashes, several people—including Pashinyan—were taken to hospital.  

On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Nikol Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armenia. The objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Minister—and which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square.

Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PM’s election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM.