On the 37th anniversary of the launch of the Artsakh national liberation movement for unification with Armenia, demonstrators gathered in Yerevan’s Freedom Square to demand the protection of the rights of Artsakh’s forcibly displaced Armenian population.
The peaceful rally took place amid growing state pressure. In the hours leading up to the demonstration, police under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government summoned organizers and expected participants to police stations—moves activists described as part of a coordinated campaign of intimidation aimed at discouraging attendance and instilling fear.
Artak Mkrtchyan, a member of the Council for the Protection of the Rights of the People of Artsakh, announced the start of a sit-in at the square, citing ongoing government efforts to obstruct lawful civic action.
“The police warned us that any attempt to march would be met with force. Our attempts at dialogue were answered with threats,” Mkrtchyan said. “This regime has no interest in hearing the voices of the people of Artsakh or those who stand with them. We will not abandon our 12 core demands. Since the authorities have again blocked our planned march, my colleagues and I are launching a sit-in. We call on citizens to join us—each new voice brings us closer to justice.”
Despite the demonstrators’ nonviolent stance, a heavy police presence surrounded the square, underscoring the government’s increasingly hardline approach to public dissent—especially on matters concerning Artsakh.
