Residents of Yerevan’s Firdus neighborhood protested outside the Government Building today claiming the compensation they’ve been offered for their homes is far less than the market value.

The Armenian government, in 208 and 2018, declared the downtown Yerevan area an “eminent domain” site and wants to turn it into a new commercial and residential neighborhood.

"We are fighting so that we don't leave our homes, so that our rights are not violated. We know the price of our land," says resident Anahit Pkhrikyan.

Many residents accuse the government of cooperating with shady business interests to force them to leave.

Pkhrikyan and her neighbors want an independent international agency to appraise their properties.

See: Yerevan’s Firdus District: A Shady Development Deal Under the Guise of Eminent Domain