Police released ten activists detained earlier today while demonstrating outside Armenia’s National Assembly in opposition to a constitutional change bill. 

HAK (Armenian National Congress) MP Aram Manoukyan told reporters that when he wanted to make a statement in parliament regarding the police attempt to detain him outside the building, he wasn’t allowed to.

“It was a peaceful demonstration, nothing illegal was happening. The police instigated the crowd and detained some ten-twelve protestors that are now in custody. A group of police grabbed me and tried to throw me into a waiting police car. I showed no resistance at all and said nothing. I felt that what they were doing was ludicrous and wanted the spectacle to continue. They put me in the car and Osipyan[Valery Osipyan, Deputy Chief of Yerevan Police] saw what was going on, the absurdity of it, and asked that I exit the car,” said Manoukyan.

The HAK MP added that when he refused, the cops dragged him out of the vehicle.

When asked what HAK was planning to do about the bill, which passed today, Manoukyan said meetings with the populace would be organized to get them engaged in the process.