Police clash with protesters in Armenian village

Residents of Kasakh, a village in Armenia’s Kotayk Province, staged another protest on Monday, attempting to block the Yerevan-Ashtarak highway. The demonstrators demand the restoration of bus route 59 to its original service, which reached the center of their village.

Police officers intervened to prevent the roadblock, leading to clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement. Several villagers were forcibly detained during the protest.

“It’s by my order – whoever disobeys the rules is taken in,” one police officer stated.

Participants described the protest as peaceful, accusing the police of using excessive force.

“Nothing has changed in the country. The police continue to use force. We were holding a peaceful protest and this is how they responded, pushing women and men alike,” a female protester said.

“Why have they sent troops to Kasakh?” asked another protester. "All we’re asking is for the bus to come 200 meters farther up the road. People are being detained simply for demanding the bus to reach the village center."