Young ARF activists protest outside Investigative Committee, demand release of detained members

Young activists of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) on Friday held a protest outside the Investigative Committee building in Yerevan, demanding an end to unlawful detentions of ARF members and calling for the immediate release of their arrested fellows.

The protesters wore T-shirts bearing the ARF slogan "Death or Liberty” and carried toy weapons commonly used in Strikeball, a recreational game similar to airsoft, to highlight absurd justifications for the arrests.

“Our friends were detained because items allegedly tied to terrorism were found during searches of their homes,” one protester said. “These are legal items used for playing Strikeball. They have nothing to do with criminal activity.”

The young ARF activists argued that possession of toy water guns, fireworks or similar items, when coupled with opposition political views, could be distorted into baseless accusations of terrorism.

"These items are available in any military surplus store,” they said. “We urge law enforcement agencies to stop these unlawful and ridiculous actions and to immediately release our fellow ARF members, who are patriots devoted to their homeland."