Police officers kicked Archbishop Bagrat, beat deacons, MP says
Opposition MP Garnik Danielyan blamed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for the police violence against protesters on Friday.
Police brutally attacked and detained dozens of protesters near the Armenian Foreign Ministry where they had gathered to demand accountability and meet with Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
“Armenia’s judiciary and law enforcement agencies are completely obeying Pashinyan’s orders,” Danielyan told reporters ahead of a motorcade rally to Gyumri led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan on Saturday.
The MP from the opposition Hayastan faction accused police of provoking clashes with demonstrators.
“People were brutally detained and baseless accused of mass rioting,” he noted.
The MP stated police officers kicked Archbishop Bagrat and beat up two deacons of the Armenian Apostolic Church during the clash.
“People are getting fired for joining the rallies. Doctors are losing their jobs after greeting the archbishop. Almost the entire state system, including the ministries, supports us, but their employees have been threatened with dismissal if they or their relatives join the protests,” he stated.
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