STATEMENT OF POLICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

In the evening of July 29 the organizers of the rally that had begun in Yerevan’s Freedon square, decided to march along Tumanyan, Abovyan, Pushkin, Vardanants, Nar-Dos and Khorenatsi streets. But during the march some of the assembly participants deviated from the route presented earlier and taken into account by the Police, moved towards the 3-rd row street in Sari Tagh quarter. Then they divided into two parts. In Glinka street Andreas Ghukasyan and David Hovhannisyan and at the former infectious diseases hospital Zaruhi Postanjyan and Levon Barseghyan were leading the protesters. Those actual leaders of the assembly first stated that they wanted to enter the territory of the seized Police Patrol-Sentry regiment, and then they tried to break through the police cordon guarding the security zone.
Meanwhile shots were being fired from the territory of the PPS regiment towards the police officers carrying out service in Sari Tagh quarter. 1 serviceman of the Police troops was wounded and vehicles were damaged during those shots.
Police started negotiations with the actual leaders of the assembly, repeatedly calling on them to immediately stop violent actions and leave the mentioned territory within the reasonable time allotted to them, while the demands of police officers were defied by the assembly participants who undertook new aggressive and provocative actions to achieve their primary goal.
Assessing the situation, in particular, the presence of an immediate threat to the lives and health of the assembly participants and the police officers, as well as the real possibility of penetration by the assembly participants into the territory of the PPS regiment and seizure of the large number of weapons and ammunition available there, the Police had to use special means to suppress the riots.
In addition, before starting the operation the assembly participants had been warned about its conduct and media representatives working on the spot were urged to observe a safe distance.
Unfortunately, police officers, assembly participants and media representatives suffered injuries during the clashes which occurred in the course of the police actions necessarily arising out of the situation and appropriate to the behavior of the assembly participants. They have all been hospitalized.
In connection with the reports on alleged violations committed against the assembly participants and media representatives during the above-mentioned Police operation, official service investigation has been appointed under the instruction of the Head of the Police.
Police of the Republic of Armenia is stating once more that situations fraught with unpredictable consequences periodically arise following the criminal actions of the armed group and the assemblies illegally held on the blocked part of Yerevan’s Khorenatsi street and the territory adjacent to it.
Therefore it is not possible to prevent the danger to the lives and health of the assembly participants, as well as the commitment of new criminal actions in any way than to change the assembly venue.
Out of public safety considerations, Police is once again calling on to refrain from adventurism, not to organize marches towards the specially protected area and not to create additional difficulties for the law enforcement bodies.
Simultaneously, we would like to inform that Police will apply all the appropriate measures envisaged by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia in case of disobedience to these demands and commitment of new infringements.