March in support of Nikol Pashinyan
A youth march was held in downtown Yerevan in support of Nikol Pashinyan, chief editor of Haykakan Zhamanak daily who was recently sentenced to seven years' imprisonment.
The marchers headed from the Armenian National Congress(HAK) headquarters to the CoE Yerevan Office carrying Pashinyan's photos and chanting "Free and Independent Armenia," "Freedom to Nikol," "Armenia's safety is in the hands of Nikol," "we have gone to the street to prove that power lies with the people in Armenia".
Hima (Now) Initiative representative Arayik Harutyunyan regretted that Nikol Pashinyan couldn't be informed about their move as "Nikol is in an information blockade."
The marchers promise to continue their protests until the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe follows the implementation of its resolutions and makes Armenian authorities release Pashinyan.
"But the CoE doesn't hurry to press Armenia because of the pending Karabakh issue. But we shall do our utmost to make the authorities carry out PACE resolutions," Arayik Harutyunyan added.
Nearing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Prosecutor's Office, the protesters began whistling and shouting.
After handing a letter to CoE senior representative Vahagn Muradyan the marchers returned to the HAK office.
