Riot police used brute force, stun, and flash grenades against protesters as clashes erupted outside the Armenian Parliament on Wednesday, as demonstrators demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, the protest leader, mobilized thousands on a street adjacent to the Parliament building, while a Q&A session was underway inside. This occurred while Prime Minister Pashinyan and his government officials responded to lawmakers’ queries amidst heightened security within and around the chamber.
Before the parliamentary session, Galstanyan addressed the crowd, urging Pashinyan to negotiate “the terms of his peaceful departure.” He reiterated his accusations of Pashinyan’s misrule and alleged betrayal of the nation, urging the protesters to block his exit from the building. Galstanyan stated, “The man who failed the state must not be able to freely go to work, cynically ignore the pain caused to our people because of him.” He continued to call for more supporters to join the demonstration.
Pashinyan dismissed the calls for his resignation and criticized the opposition groups backing the protests, ignited by his territorial concessions to Azerbaijan.
Dozens of civilians, including journalists, were injured during the clashes on Baghramyan Avenue. More than a dozen civilians were transported to hospitals for treatment, and a civilian patient is currently undergoing surgery after his hand was mutilated by a police stun grenade. Journalists from various media outlets sustained injuries while performing their professional duties, leading to significant damage and loss of cameras and other equipment. Several reporters and cameramen, including TV commentator Abraham Gasparyan, have also been hurt due to police actions.
As law enforcement attempted to disperse the increasingly agitated protesters from another street leading to the Parliament, confrontations ensued, involving jostling, scuffles, and the throwing of bottles. Shortly thereafter, the security forces deployed over a dozen stun grenades, injuring several protesters, including a young woman. Ambulances were dispatched promptly to provide medical aid.
A drone captured footage of police deploying stun grenades on retreating protesters, deliberately aiming the grenades at civilians, which resulted in multiple injuries.
The police “justly used flash grenades,” Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan said at the National Assembly. “Any illegal behavior will be penalized accordingly,” the Police said. The police claimed some participants of the rally threw bottles at officers, grabbed the policemen’s helmets and batons while trying to break through the police wall. The protesters claim that there are provocateurs in the police ranks who “threw bottles at law enforcement officers.”
When asked by journalists why the police used stun grenades against peaceful protesters, Police Chief Aram Hovhannisyan angrily replied, “They did a good job; count how many bottles fell on my head.”
Aram Hovhannisyan, the chief of Armenian police, justified the use of stun grenades, citing an “out of control” situation. He acknowledged that some police officers were also injured, although specific numbers were not disclosed. Pashinyan supported the police’s response.
Galstanyan accused the police of instigating the violence and encouraged the protesters to persist in their demonstration.
The parliament session concluded amidst turmoil. Some members from the ruling Civil Contract party attempted to physically confront opposition deputies who criticized Pashinyan after he insulted former military leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh, whom he labeled as “coward deserters” deserving of imprisonment. The prime minister exited the parliamentary floor hastily amid the chaos.
