Protest shares began in three more cities of Armenia

Sitting demonstrations against raising electricity tariffs began in three more cities of Armenia: Abovyan, Astarac and Vanadzor. It is reported by Armenia Today. Previously, protests took place only in the capital of Yerevan and the second largest population of the city of Gyumri.

In addition, performances are planned by the embassies of Armenia in a number of foreign capitals.

Meanwhile, in the center of Yerevan, the number of protesters grows, according to the agency, "exponentially." Shortly before 20:30 local time (19:30 Moscow time), several thousand people joined the demonstrators on Bagramyan Avenue - the central highway of the capital.

Meanwhile, on Brazil Square, the start of a protest rally was expected, after which its participants also intended to join the manifestants on the avenue.

An hour and a half later, the agency reported that the number of manifestants continued to grow. As noted, the initiators of the campaign "There is no robbery!" emphasize the peaceful nature of the action. “People with knives, stones, bottles - leave, we are not on the way,” they call. The audience, as reported, "listen to music, dance and sing." Periodically, the music is turned off to make ads.

It is also noted that there are no police near the demonstrators - only steel fences are installed on the avenue. Law enforcement officers with water bodies are concentrated from the protesters, and the police cordons are absent in several rows.

The authorities once again offer negotiations to protesters, but they respond with a refusal. “We have nothing to discuss with them,” the demonstrators say.

Earlier, the Armenian media reported that Armenian President Serge Sargsyan agreed to revise the decision to increase tariffs, but then this information was officially refuted.

A sedentary demonstration against the 17 percent increase in electricity tariffs was held in Yerevan since June 19 from August. On Monday, protesters moved to the Presidential Palace . The police did not miss them, and then the demonstrators blocked Bagramyan Avenue.

The police demanded that the audience disperse. When they refused, vodtetes were applied. The security forces, including those dressed in civilian, attacked the manifestants, as well as journalists. At the same time, reporters were broken by equipment. In total, about a dozen journalists were subjected to attack.

237 demonstrators were detained. The Prosecutor General’s Office reported the initiation of the case under Part 1 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Armenia (hooliganism), which provides for up to 2 years of the colony. 25 people turned for medical help; On the afternoon of Tuesday, at least 5 of them were in a hospital. It was also reported that 11 police officers who dispersed the protesters were injured.

In the evening of Tuesday, the demonstrators again tried to go to the Presidential Palace, but they were again stopped by the police. Nevertheless, this time they did not try to disperse the audience. Meanwhile, the manifestants built barricades from garbage tanks.

In 2013, Armenia after negotiations by Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin refused to sign the Association Agreement and the Free Trade Zone with the EU. The country's authorities have accepted the course to join the Eurasian Economic Union. In December 2013, on the eve of Putin’s visit to Yerevan, the police tore off the procession of opponents of the pro -Russian course of Armenia . 11 people were detained.

In October 2014, the Armenian government approved a draft agreement on the accession of the republic to the EU ECECES . Official connection took place on January 2, 2015.