Police deny Armenia protest leader arrested in clashes
23 April 2018 6:39 AM IST
Yerevan: Armenian police said protest leader Nikol Pashinyan was on Sunday "forcibly taken" from a protest rally, dismissing reports of his arrest as riot police and demonstrators clashed in Yerevan. "Despite repeated calls to stop illegal rallies, Pashinyan continued leading a demonstration" in the capital, police said in a statement, adding that he and two other opposition MPs "were forcibly taken from the site" as riot police dispersed the rally.
An opposition MP Sasun Mikaelyan earlier told journalists that Pashinyan was arrested.
"People must liberate Nikol," he said.
As an MP, Pashinyan is protected by a parliamentary immunity and cannot be arrested without the approval of lawmakers, in accordance with the Armenian constitution.
Riot police using stun grenades clashed with demonstrators at the march led by Pashinyan in Yerevan's suburban district of Erebuni.
It came shortly after new Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian walked out of talks with the protest leader. The televised meeting between the two only lasted for a couple of minutes on Sunday morning before the premier walked out, accusing the opposition of "blackmail".
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