Count of Yerevan hunger-strikers is six

In Yerevan, in Freedom Square, four more activists have joined the hunger strike with a call to Armenian citizens to unite in the fight against the increase of electricity tariff. Thus, the total number of hunger-strikers has reached six.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that after the decision was announced to increase the electricity tariff, Armenia has been hosting mass protests. The largest action took place on the round-the-clock basis in Yerevan, in Bagramyan Avenue, but on July 6 the police dispersed the protesters. On the same day, a new protest action was launched in Freedom Square; and the police did not allow its participants to march through the city centre. On July 6, David Sanasaryan, one of the coordinators of the action against the increase of electricity tariff, announced an indefinite hunger strike; and on July 7, another activist – Ovannes Karapetyan – joined him.

In the evening on July 7, activists Gor Karapetyan, Ashot Shakhnazaryan, Sergey Khachatryan and Roman Galstyan declared a hunger strike in support of David Sanasaryan. They also joined the call to Armenian citizens to join the protest movement, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

According to Shakhnazaryan, the population of the country should completely understand that a success in the fight for the abolition of the decision to raise the electricity tariff depends on every citizen of Armenia.

The four activists, who have joined the hunger strike, refuse to take food and will only drink water. The action will last for a week, but if health permits, the hunger strike will continue, said Shakhnazaryan.

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