Varuzhan Avetisyan makes a statement: “We chose a status of POW”: 1in.am (video)
Varuzhan Avetisyan, one of the leaders of the Sasna Dzrer armed group barricaded inside a Yerevan police station which they seized two weeks ago, has made a statement saying in the recent days the Armenian Police has adopted tactics of neutralizing his comrades. In a telephone conversation with 1in.am news agency, Varuzhan Avetisyan said the police are neutralizing his friends by shooting them in the legs. “Today a sniper shot our friend in his chest. We have significantly reduced in number becoming around 20. There was a storm at night, the wall was struck by car, which then stopped, and for some reasons we began negotiations. The intensive shots were heard today, stun bombs were used, armored vehicles broke into the area. We have two options, to fight against the police and other officers shedding blood of the people who have little to do with the regime. The other option is to refrain from bloodshed and remain in a status of a prisoner of war, the status of a POW was a difficult decision for us. The uprising of the people took place, there is a nationwide movement, for not sustaining new victims, people, who fulfill their obligations, are in front of us, so we have decided that we don’t want to spill their blood; we continue struggling as POWs; the people’s uprising continues, our people must struggle, we will not allow our country to become a province of Russia. We feel that the victory is close; we call on the people to consider the decision to be a positive step.”
