Students protesting the restriction of the right to deferment walked through different faculties of Yerevan State University and various universities and tried to outreach, distribute leaflets.
The university’s security staff was trying to close the entrance to Yerevan State University of Economics before the striking students. Some of the students managed to get into, but they faced some students from the university, who started arguing with them. They wanted to prevent the demonstrators from entering the territory of their university, stating that they were authorized on behalf of the students, that classes are being interrupted, and that the protestors should not approach their university.
One of the first-year students of that university managed to enter and make a statement on behalf of the strikers.
The Vice-Rector of Agrarian University was waiting for the strikers at the entrance. He was guarding the entrance so that the protesters could not go in.
At the entrance to the Polytechnic Institute at the University of Architecture and Construction, security officers, police officers, members of the student council opposed the demonstrators forming a wall. The head of the university security service said: “Inform! Stand and inform! But do not interrupt our classes!”.
Hovsep Hoveyan, a member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), President of the Student Council, said that he does not share the protesters’ approach, that he has participated in the meeting-discussion with the Defence Minister, has asked questions they were concerned about, and that they accept the Ministry’s format. It’s noteworthy that the Student Council President uses the current order of higher education deferment, and without having to serve in the army, receives continuous education.
According to the Student Council President, “I’m still studying”. He’s a postgraduate student. When the reporters reminded him about Sharmazanov’s words as if studying in postgraduate program does not mean being a scientist, Hoveyan responded, that after defending his dissertation, he would understand whether science is his or should he be a researcher”.
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
