Protest of Armenian villagers results in detentions and female journalist beating

Residents of the Armenian village of Kasakh tried to block the highway during their protest against the change in the bus route; law enforcers prevented them and detained 11 people. One of the policemen hit a female journalist; the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has reported his dismissal.

Law enforcers detain 11 people

This morning, residents of the village of Kasakh in the Kotaik Region went out to protest and tried to block the Yerevan-Ashtarak Highway. They demand to restore bus route No. 59. According to villagers, the bus used to go to the middle of the village, but now it has been replaced by another route, which is served by “Gazel” minibuses with fewer seats, and the trip costs twice as much. Minibuses of the new route only reach the village outskirts; and villagers have to walk several kilometres from the road to central streets.

"Why do we pay taxes and fees to get to Yerevan; by bending over in a minibus, and then pay extra? A one-way trip now costs us 300 drams," the “News-Armenia” outlet quotes one of the protesters as stating.

The police have banned Kasakh villagers to block the highway, after which a scuffle broke out of policemen with villagers. As a result, 11 people, including a teenager, were detained. They are charged with failure to obey a policeman’s lawful demand (Article 182 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, which provides for a fine of 50 minimum wages), the outlet writes.

Policeman fired for beating female journalist at protest venue

During a scuffle of policemen with protesting villagers, one of law enforcers "lost his temper and shouted inappropriately at villagers," the “News.am” outlet reports.

A law enforcer has also hit one of the female journalists who urged him to calm down. After that, he was fired, said Narek Sargsyan, the press secretary of the head of the Armenian MIA.

"I would like to inform you that the policeman involved in the incident that occurred today between him and a journalist on the Ashtarak Highway has been dismissed from service," the report has quoted him as saying.

The report was illustrated with a video clip, which shows law enforcers pushing detainees into a vehicle, while gathered villagers are indignant. One of law enforcers is loudly shouting at an elderly man in civilian clothes, after which he steps aside. A woman with a microphone and a badge approaches the law enforcer and addresses him. He turns around and shouts loudly at her. Two colleagues lead the law enforcer away, but the woman catches up with him and addresses him again. After that, the policeman hits her in the chest with his elbow, pushing her away with this blow, and leaves. The woman remains standing in place, holding her hand to the bruised area.

This was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 16, 2025 at 04:26 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.