Two activists go on hunger strike in Yerevan

Arutyun Arutyunyan, 29, a cook, and Ike Parikyan, 28, an entrepreneur, have gone on hunger strike against the increase of electricity tariff in Yerevan.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that starting from June 19 Armenia has been holding mass protests against the decision to increase the electricity tariff. The largest action is held in Bagramyan Avenue. After the police demanded the clear the avenue, supporters of the initiative group "No to robbery!" did it, but some other protesters remained there and formed a new group of the protest movement.

On June 27, the Armenian authorities made advances to protesters. President Serzh Sargsyan said that the company "Electric Grids of Armenia" will be audited; and until the end of the audit "the entire burden of the tariff increase will be taken over by the government."

The movement against the rise in electricity tariff in Armenia is not a social, but a political, phenomenon, said the experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

Arutyunyan believes of the positive result of the protest action, despite the fact that "many hunger-strikers had to stop their protest without achieving any result." The activist has added that the hunger-strikers have not been visited yet by doctors and human rights activists.

The problem of increase of electricity tariff "is nationwide," and "should their demands be met, all the people will benefit," said Ike Parikyan, the other hunger-striker. According to his story, a hunger strike is "a radical method of struggle and, at the same time, the most efficient one.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.