On March 31, the Civil Contract Party had started a protest march through several towns of Armenia with an objective to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in the centre of the Armenian capital on Tuesday to protest as parliament voted to allow former president Serzh Sarksyan to become prime minister in the former Soviet republic.
Opponents of Serzh Sargsyan see this as an attempt to hold onto power as the country moves to a new parliamentary system of governance.
At least eighty protesters were detained in the Armenian capital while an opposition leader of the protest claimed to launch a nationwide “velvet revolution.”
Armenian police quashes Velvet Revolution by violence WATCH
Many of detentions appear arbitrary, as the protesters seem to have done nothing but legitimately exercise their right to freedom of assembly.
Demonstrators have been blocking major streets in Yerevan for days. Several demonstrators were injured on Monday as police used tear gas to disperse a crowd.