Update: Mnatsakan Aleksanyan was released from police detention at 2pm today and traveled back to his home village of Sarnaghbyur with his father. 

Mnatsakan Aleksanyan, seen here in the photo participating in the January 15 protests in Gyumri demanding that a Russian soldier charged with killing seven members of the Avetisyan family, is still in pre-trial detention even though local press reports claim that Shirak Provincial Prosecutor has allowed for Aleksanyan to be set free on his own recognizance.

A demonstration has been planned for later this afternoon in Gyumri calling for Aleksanyan to be released unconditionally and that all charges are dropped.

Hetq has tried to contact Shirak Prosecutor Raffi Aslanyan to verify the press reports but he isn’t answering his phone.

Hetq has talked to Aleksanyan’s father and his lawyer. Both say they are unaware of any change made by the prosecutor.

Gyumri Mayor Samvel Balasanyan, seeking to ease tensions in the city, has written to Prosecutor Aslanyan and requested that Aleksanyan be released and that leniency be shown to others who clashed with police on the day in question.