Who closed Baghramyan Avenue - demonstrators or police officers? (video)
Ernest Avanesov, a member of the “No to Plunder” civil initiative, again repeated at the Administrative Court that on September 11, 2015 those peacefully protesting the hike in electricity rates marched towards the beginning of Baghramyan Avenue where encountered a wall of police. The avenue was, in fact, blocked by the police and not demonstrators and the demand to open the avenue was hence illegal. “I am accused of heeding the legal instructions of policemen who unlawfully cordoned off the way, given the calls of demonstrators who urged them to open the way they had blocked illegally,” Ernest Avanesov told A1+. He says they were subjected to violence during detention. “The police pushed us and rolled our arms. There were women lying on the ground and if someone came up to them to help, representatives of relevant police units immediately detained that person,” he said. The member of the “No to Plunder” coordinating committee says the participants of the spontaneous march wanted to make their voice audible to Serzh Sargsyan, therefore they decided to march to the Presidential Palace situated at 26 Baghramyan Avenue. Police Major Marta Meliksetyan says that the Yerevan Municipality had specified a legal route for the September 11 march and demonstration but that some participants had left the official route and did not comply with police instructions. Meliksetyan says the police issued statements in advance that the actions of march participants were illegal. At the same time, she admitted that Ernest Avanesov was subjected to physical violence during detention. Attorney Hayarpi Sargsyan has filed a counterclaim. She says the police did not even mention in their complaints which of their legal demand her client failed to obey and how much money is demanded, hence the charges should be dropped. She also demands to recognize the actions against Ernest Avanesov as unlawful. Policemen seized Avanesov off the sidewalks. The police representative says they repeated asked the demonstrators to free Bagramyan Avenue and then pushed many off the avenue onto the sidewalk, and detained some of them. During the next hearing the court will examine the existing evidence.
