Armenia police detain 237 during protest against increased electricity prices
Armenian police have detained over 200 protesters rallying in the capital against a hike in electricity prices.
A total of 237 participants in the rally were arrested in downtown Yerevan on Tuesday, according to police.
Police spokesman Armen Malkhasyan told TASS news agency that 18 people were injured during the rally, including 11 police officers.
Police added it found knives, brass knuckles, batons and metal rods on some of the detained protesters.
Riot police used water canon to disperse the demonstrators.
Alongside the riot police, undercover officers took part in the police operation beating journalists, destroying or confiscating their equipment.
The unrest in the country began on Monday, when 4,000 protesters marched on the presidential palace in protest against a government decision to increase power tariffs for households by 16 percent from August 1.
The protesters expressed anger against President Serzh Sarkisian’s administration for its failed policy to fight poverty in the landlocked country.
Several hundred demonstrators held a sit-in overnight and blocked the traffic flow in protest.
The government’s decision to increase the price of electric power followed a request by the electricity company.
Armenia depends on its neighboring countries to supply energy and most of the raw material it needs.
The country has a population of over three million and is the second most densely populated of the former Soviet republics. There has been a problem of population decline due to high level of emigration in the country. Armenia’s economy relies heavily on money invested and sent in by the expatriate Armenians working abroad.
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