Political analysts do not rule out dispersal of protests in Yerevan

The Armenian authorities can use force in case if supporters of the unit "Sasna Tsrer" do not stop acts of disobedience, political analysts and rights defenders assert.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in Armenia, protests did not stop when Nikol Pashinyan had come to power. So, on May 16, the protesters blocked an avenue in Yerevan with the demand to release members of the unit "Sasna Tsrer". On May 21 and May 22, supporters of the unit "Sasna Tsrer" blocked a building of the General Prosecutor's Office of Armenia and demanded the resignation of the General Prosecutor. On May 23, they warned the authorities about blocking of courts.

Although the actions of the "Sasna Tsrer" supporters are not directed against the new Cabinet of Ministers, they still hinder the stabilization of the situation and force the authorities to use violence, political technologist Armen Badalyan told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to him, the new authorities can disperse the activists, despite the risk of declining popularity ratings, since otherwise such protests will be endless.

The actions of the "Sasna Tsrer" supporters are the blackmail against the new authorities, and if they fail to reconsider their position, the authorities will have to resort to proportional use of force, believes Boris Navasardyan, the head of the Yerevan Press Club.

In turn, rights defender Arthur Sakunts, the head of the Vanadzor Office of the Helsinki Civil Assembly, has stated it is inadmissible to release political prisoners and members of the unit "Sasna Tsrer" at the personal order of the Prime Minister, in bypass of the law.

According to Arthur Sakunts, if actions of disobedience are continued, the police will have to intervene in the situation.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.