A NEW WAVE OF HUNDER STRIKE

The policemen ignore women who went on hunger strike.

 Yesterday 19 arrested people went on a hunger strike complaining against their accusations. 11 people of them went on the hunger strike in “Nubarashen” prison, 8 of them did the same in “Vardashen”; Gevorg Ghazaryan, Ashot Zakaryan, Vardan Davalbabunts, Husik Baghdasaryan, Suren Sirunyan, David Matevosyan, Hovhannes Harutyunyan, Christapor Elazyan. Smbat Ayvazyan also declared about his readiness to join the hunger strike. Only Mushegh Saghatelyan did not join them because of health problems.  PACE co-reporters John Prescott and George Colombie will meet with the relatives of the arrested people today. A new wave of hunger strike launched in the North Avenue on Sunday. 28 women and a man stayed in the North Avenue last night. They have 5 demands: to stop the persecutions towards Khachatur Sukiasyan, Nikol Pashinyan, Virab Manukyan, Hamlet Hovhannisyan and others, to set the political prisoners free, to punish the criminals of March 1, to achieve 1609 resolution, freedom to Freedom Square. “The opposition has applied for a permit to hold mass meetings in the Freedom Square for 47 times but it has been refused each time without any explanation. The hunger strike has no organizers”, –  Violetta Ghazaryan says who goes on a hunger strike for the second time. “I am offended from the authorities for their illegal steps. Those who should be arrested are in free but honest people are arrested”,- our interlocutor said. This action in the North Avenue will continue till June 19. Women were telling us that the policemen were sending people to them who were pretending mentally sick to laugh at them, abuse, offend and beat. “

In answer to “Aravot’s” observation that this way of struggle exerts no influence on the authorities, the women answered: “We don’t have other ways for struggle. We can’t use guns towards our compatriots like they did on March 1.”