YEREVAN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2020) Armenian law enforcement officials on Friday have denied claims spread on social media that civilians in Yerevan took part in detaining protesters who were demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for his handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Earlier in the day, images and videos spread across social media allegedly showing individuals wearing masks and black uniforms inscribed with hieroglyphics participating in the arrest of citizens, although the Police of Armenia denied the claims.
"Some concluded from this [the videos and images] that other people or bodyguards were involved in the operation, in addition to the police. Law enforcement officials can clarify that only police officers took part in all actions," a press release read.
Protests were held in the Armenian cities of Yerevan and Gyumri on Friday amid the latest day of unrest following the signing of an agreement bringing the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh to a close. Demonstrators have demanded Pashinyan's resignation, and as many as 85 people were detained during the day's protests.
On November 9, Pashinyan signed a ceasefire deal along with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, to stop the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. The agreement has paved the way for the deployment of Russian peacekeepers to the region and the start of a prisoner exchange process.
