YEREVAN, Armenia: Armenia witnessed the detention of numerous demonstrators in Yerevan as protests persisted against the government’s decision to relinquish territory to Azerbaijan.
Large numbers of police encircled the demonstrators, some draped in Armenian flags, with 38 individuals detained for attempting to block a crossroads. This follows the brief detention of around 150 protesters during a previous demonstration.
The ongoing protests, led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, have been fueled by opposition to the territorial concessions and a demand for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to reverse course. Galstanyan, representing the Tavush region affected by the land handover, is spearheading efforts to impeach Pashinyan.
However, the impeachment process requires presenting an alternative prime ministerial candidate and obtaining support from 36 lawmakers. Despite not being eligible himself, Galstanyan claims to have secured support from an independent MP.
Armenia and Azerbaijan, locked in a longstanding conflict over disputed territories, have initiated border demarcation work in recent months as part of efforts to normalize relations. However, Pashinyan’s decision to return parts of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan in 2020 has sparked outrage and intensified protests in Armenia. The former journalist turned Prime Minister faces mounting pressure as he grapples with the political fallout from the territorial concessions.
As the political standoff ensues, Armenia braces for further unrest amid heightened tensions over the land concessions and the broader implications for national sovereignty and security.
