Baku, Azerbaijan, April 23
Trend:
Armenia’s law enforcement officials have detained 33 participants of a protest rally in Yerevan against the election of former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan as the country’s prime minister, RIA Novosti news agency reported citing the press service of the Armenian government.
Earlier, five police officers were beaten up by demonstrators in Armenia’s Aragatsotn province.
Mass rallies broke out in Yerevan and other Armenian cities on April 13 following former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s nomination as prime minister. The opposition accuses him of ineffective governance and worsening of the economic situation.
Despite the protests, Armenia’s parliament elected Sargsyan prime minister on April 17. On April 19, opposition members tried to disrupt the new cabinet of ministers’ meeting, blocking entrances to government facilities and marching down Yerevan streets. About 3,000 people took part in a rally in the evening. As many as 123 people were arrested over the day.