Barricades and riot police at #ElectricYerevan protest.
If you want to know what has been taking place in Yerevan over the past week, you can read a day-by-day snapshot of the #ElectricYerevan protest below.
Wednesday, June 17
The Electricity Networks of Armenia (ENA), the Russian-owned company that manages Armenia’s electricity resources, presented a request to the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) to increase electricity tariffs in the country. While the ENA argued that the depreciation of the national currency made the tariff rise necessary, many opponents have since suggested that they accumulated debt due to poor management.
On June 17, after negotiating with the ENA, the PSRC unanimously approved a 22% rise in electricity tariffs. Youth activists of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun gathered in front of the PSRC’s headquarters to protest the decision. Clashes erupted with the police, and several activists were arrested and released hours later.
Friday, June 19
On Friday, June 19, thousands of Armenian citizens rallied in Yerevan’s Liberty Square to protest the electricity price hike.
The Armenian economy has been struggling with economic transition since independence in 1991. According to World Bank data, more than 16% of the population is unemployed, while 32% of Armenians live under the poverty line. The announcement of a rise of yet another basic utility was the final straw for many citizens.
The protest organizers, who aren’t affiliated to any political party or NGO, and describe themselves as “concerned citizens,” decided to stage a three-day sit-in in Liberty Square. Protesters issued an ultimatum to authorities – if their demands were not met in three days, they would take their protest to the Presidential Palace located on Baghramyan 26.
Monday, June 22
At 7:00pm on Monday, the protesters began marching toward Baghramian Avenue, a mere 10 minute walk from from Liberty Square. During the three days of a peaceful sit-in, their numbers had grown as the cause gained media awareness. Thousands of protesters, many of them young people, marched towards Baghramian Avenue, where they were met with a heavy police presence: several rows of riot police blocked their way to the Presidential Palace.
Yerevan’s deputy police chief Valeri Osipyan warned the protesters that their march was illegal and that police would use force if the protesters did not turn back. After long hours of discussion between the protesters and the police chief, a stalemate was reached as President Serzh Sargsyan’s offer to meet with 5 representatives of the movement was declined.
At 11:00 PM, all noise had to stop according to city ordonnance… Armenian protests, however, are not known to be quiet. Protesters were prepared to stay for the night, and many kept chanting until dawn.
Tuesday, June 23
In the early morning hours at approximately 5:30 AM, riot police began moving towards the crowd, using water cannons against the protesters. Police officers in civilian clothes dragged people away from the scene with batons. At least 25 people were taken to the hospital, and 237 people were arrested – an unprecedented number in Yerevan. Journalists also became targets of police violence; and several journalists had their equipment confiscated or damaged. Other reporters were detained by police.
This excessive use of force by Armenian police seems to have only encouraged protesters further – an estimated 15,000 people gathered that night. A makeshift barricade was installed using nearby trash bins. According to one of the protesters, an agreement was reached that neither the protesters, nor the police would move forward on Baghramyan Avenue. Several parliamentary members from different opposition parties – Nikol Pashinyan, Tevan Poghosyan, Aghvan Vardanyan, Zaruhi Postanjyan, Alik Arzumanyan – came during the night to stand between riot police and demonstrators. Aram MP3 and Vache of the popular comedy show Vitamin Club were also seen showing their support to the protesters later that night.
Two members of the ruling Republican Party also joined the parliamentary delegation but they were greeted by jeers of the protesters asking them to leave.
Wednesday, June 24
Several organizations, including the OSCE, the EU Delegation to Armenia, the US Embassy, Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International, issued statements condemning the excessive use of violence by the police the day before.
Meanwhile, the sit-in continued in Baghramyan Avenue, with a few hundred protesters throughout the day. Several protesters came with their musical instruments to play traditional Armenian songs.
From 6:00 PM on, the crowd thickened as more people joined in for an evening of chanting, singing and dancing. The protest is becoming increasingly popular; people of all ages and walks of life now join in; amongst youngsters and politicians, families with very young children, clergy from the Armenian Apostolic Church and well-known cultural figures can also be seen on Baghramian Avenue.
Thursday, June 25
Like the day before, a few hundred protesters keep the sit-in active by playing music and dancing in groups. The protest seems to be getting more organized, though: several booths have been set up along Baghramyan Avenue to provide protesters with food and drinks.
The storm that came to Yerevan in the late afternoon did not diminish the resolve of the protesters; protecting themselves with umbrellas and makeshift plastic tarps, they continued standing and chanting under the rain.
When the rain receded later that night, it was apparent that the crowd had never been bigger. By 2:00 AM, however, all music had stopped and protesters had started settling in for the night.
Friday, June 26
An estimated 800 people stayed overnight on Baghramyan Avenue; like the morning before, they started the day by cleaning up the entire street, exercising, playing football or volleyball.
The overcast weather and heavy rain did not deter protesters who arrived in small groups throughout the morning and afternoon.
Baghramyan Avenue has now been closed for the fourth day in a row.
The Armenian president’s office issued a statement that following a meeting between Serzh Sargsyan and Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov, Sargsyan recommended the creation of a Russian-Armenian inter-governmental commission to undertake an independent audit of the Russian-owned Electric Networks of Armenia; the case of Russian soldier Permyakov, who is accused in the murder of the Avetisyan family of Gyumri will be transferred to Armenia’s Investigative Committee; and Russia will provide Armenia with a $200 million loan.
The Executive Body of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia held a session late Friday night. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov spoke to reporters afterward.
Saturday, June 27
At approximately 1:00 AM, several protesters decided to block Mashtots and Tumanyan avenues. This raised the ire of Police Chief Vova Gasparyan, who yelled uncontrollably at organizers and said that police did not want to move in, but would have to take measures if those adjacent streets would not be cleared of protesters.
Police reinforcements were brought in as the situation escalated. Groups of protesters jumped over the makeshift barricade forming a human shield between riot police and the thousands who continued to stay on Baghramyan Avenue. Once the adjacent streets were cleared of protesters, the situation calmed down and the rest of the evening was relatively peaceful.
The protest continues….
