Arguing that violence, weapons and taking hostages isn’t the way to resolve issues, the Supreme Body of the ARF in Armenia says that there is an alternative that demands “work, conscious organization, and the unity of free citizens.”

The statement is a response to the Sunday seizure of a Yerevan police building by an armed opposition group calling itself Sasna Dzrer.

The group, which holds four police officers hostage, has demanded the release of political prisoners and the resignation of the government.

The ARF is currently a member of the coalition government with the ruling Republican Party.

Expletives, enmity, hate, violence and neglecting the just expectations of the people have always divided and destroyed the collective potential of Armenians. The unimaginable unity created as a result of the four-day war is seriously being threatened now,” the ARF statement reads.

Saying that the ARF desires a peaceful resolution of the situation, it calls on law enforcement to display professionalism and respect the rights and dignity of law-abiding citizens.

In conclusion the ARF says: “We can have and will have a strong, free and prosperous Armenia. To reach this, we must formulate a new type of government. We will walk this road with wide segments of society that follow these values and thinking.”