NSS confirms armed group released two police officers in Yerevan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Press secretary of Armenia’s National Security Service Samson Galstyan confirmed on Saturday, July 23 that the armed group that stormed a police department in Yerevan and took everyone inside hostage released two more captives, Tert.am reports.

Members of the group agreed earlier to release the captives on condition that a news bureau be established.

One of the members said later that after reconsidering the issue in the evening, they decided to release the two young police officers as a goodwill gesture before the opening of the media center.

“Negotiations are still underway,” Galstyan said.

“We are currently discussing the release of the remaining hostages and other related issues.”

Galstyan refused to provide more details not to damage the negotiation process.

The armed group are members of the Sasna Tsrer movement. One police officer was killed, and several more were wounded in a shootout that broke as the members of the group hit the gates of the police department with a Ural track. Several captives have been set free so far. Armenia's deputy police chief General Major Vardan Eghiazaryan and Yerevan deputy police chief Colonel Valeri Osipyan are still kept hostage. The group demand the release of Jirair Sefilian, the founder of the Founding Parliament who was arrested on June 20, as he and a group of people had allegedly planned to seize premises and communication facilities, including the Yerevan TV tower.