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Opposition leader Artur Vanetsyan, who started an open-ended sit-in in Yerevan’s Liberty Square along with several other opposition activists on Sunday, has denounced the decision banning them from setting up tents in the area as “politically motivated”.

“The authorities see that the movement that started in Liberty Square is gradually gaining momentum and are trying to stop it, but they will not succeed,” he told reporters on Friday.

Vanetsyan, who leads the opposition Homeland Party and With Honor (Pativ Unem) parliamentary faction, highlights that people with different political beliefs come to the square, regardless of whether they sympathize with them or not.

"They realize that this is a struggle for the homeland, rather than that for narrow political interests. This is a nationwide movement,” he said.

The opposition leader again urged all to join the protest movement.

Earlier on Thursday, Vanetsyan said that his sit-in was preparing the ground for mass anti-government protests across the country.