“Minister, leave,” members of the ‘Demanding Applicant’ movement were chanting in front of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport in protest.
Students who did not get into their desired department as a result of their university admissions examinations along with their parents demanded a meeting with the Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport, Arayik Harutyunyan. An employee at the ministry suggested that they meet with the deputy minister, which they refused to do.
One of the people participating in the movement, Masis Babalyan, appealed to Minister Arayik Harutyunyan. “You are ignoring so many applicants. You do not have the right to hold that position. You have not shown us over the past two years that you love the Armenian nation, culture, literature, and sport. Your working style is not Armenian. We all demand your resignation.”
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The minister had provided an explanation for what happened during a Facebook live.
Badalyan expressed his hope to reporters that the Prime Minister has seen the way that Arayik Harutyunyan has treated the applicants. “He is presenting false data to the Prime Minister and saying that only 20 applicants’ futures are uncertain. He’s lying.”
The protesters decided to move away from the ministry and gather nearby. Then, a police officer asked them again to stop their protests because the ability to hold protests is limited during a state of emergency and the police have the right to implement any means necessary against people who do not comply.
Then, the protesters blocked off the roads leading to the ministry by sitting on the ground. The Red Berets forced them to get up and took some of them into custody.
Lawyer Alexander Kochabayev, who came to the protests, announced that three adults had been taken into custody: Masis Babalyan, a parent, and Hovhannes Harutyunyan. “Please stay in the parks and do not close any roads. Do not do anything that would cause this to be seen as a protest, although the police do not have the right to arrest you. Wait until the group of legal representatives goes to the police department.”
The protesters gathered in the areas near the ministry.
Luiza Sukiasyan
