A 17-year-old teenager, Sayat Harutyunyan lost an eye as clashes between the police and protesters broke out in Yerevan, RFE/RL Armenian service reports citing Sayat’s relatives.

Earlier, Health Ministry spokeswoman Anahit Haytayan refuted media reports that children were hospitalized after clashes.

Supporters of the gunmen who are holding a police HQ in Yerevan rallied on Friday evening.

The gunmen are members of the Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sassoun) 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. Also, they want the authorities to halt Karabakh negotiations fearing they are going to cede some lands around the former Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast to Azerbaijan.

On July 27, the gunmen took 4 paramedics hostage, and released only one of them the next day.

After urging the demonstrators to leave the area, the police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the public.

According to reports, civilians and journalists were beaten by police officers wearing civilian clothing.