Obstacles before the rally
Statement by the Armenian National Congress
"Central streets of Gyumri have been closed and police posts have been placed on the highway coming out of the city since early this morning, which is aimed at creating obstacles for the march of the drivers with Georgian state license numbers to Yerevan and the unprovoked rally in Gyumri. The police are having a hard time indicating any official legal ground for this. We condemn the regime's overt and cynical violation of the right to move freely and hold rallies. By that, it is not showing its power, but fear for the increase of pan-national movements against dictatorships in other countries and the creation of new social layers in Armenia.
We have also received much information according to which the police and National Security Service officials have been having "personal talks" with not only drivers of buses and microbuses, but taxi service drivers, demanding not to take passengers to Yerevan to participate in the Armenian National Congress's rally on February 18.
It has been assigned to create obstacles everywhere. The regime is so horrified by the Armenian National Congress's February 18 rally that it is ready to cause traffic jams nationwide. We are taking necessary measures to overcome the barriers. We ask those who will face such problems to keep us informed at once by calling the Armenian National Congress's office at 52-09-74."
