Yerevan standoff: Leader of armed group goes on hunger strike

PanARMENIAN.Net - The leader of the armed group that seized a police headquarters in Yerevan a little under two weeks ago, Pavel Manukyan, went on a hunger strike on Wednesday, July 27, his lawyer, Inesa Petrosyan said, according to Sputnik Armenia.

The 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 track. All the captives have been set free. 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. They also demand the resignation of President Serzh Sargsyan and the creation of a transitional government.

According to Petrosyan, Manukyan’s condition is still assessed as serious.

Manukyan and his son, Aram, were wounded in a shootout with the police on Tuesday, and were immediately hospitalized.

Following these events, the gunmen took four paramedics hostage as the latter were trying to help the injured members of the group inside the seized police HQ. One of the doctors was released on Wednesday evening.