2022 Armenian protests

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2022 Armenian protests
Date	5 April 2022 -
Location	Armenia: Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor
Caused by	A cease-fire agreement signed by Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan
Goals	Resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
Methods	Demonstrations, civil unrest, street blockades, sit-ins, student protest, general strike
Status	Ongoing
Parties
Resistance Movement Armenia Alliance ARF Reborn Armenia One Armenia Party I Have Honor Alliance Homeland Party Republican Party of Armenia National Agenda Party 5165 National Conservative Movement Party Apricot Country Party Solidarity Party Liberation Movement National Christian Party Government of Armenia Civil Contract United Labour Party Pashinyan supporters Guardians of the revolution Supported by: Christian-Democratic Rebirth Party Fair Armenia Party Bright Armenia European Party of Armenia
Lead figures
Ishkhan Saghatelyan Artur Vanetsyan Other figures Aram Vardevanyan Vahe A. Hakobyan Hayk Mamijanyan Gegham Manukyan Anna Mkrtchyan Anna Grigoryan Vahagn Khachaturyan (President) Nikol Pashinyan (Prime Minister) Vahe Ghazaryan (police chief)
Casualties
Detained	~700 people: 244 (May 2) [1], 237 (May 3) [2], ~203 (May 4-10)[3][4][5][6]

From 5 April 2022, Armenia has seen large anti government protests.^[7] The protests have continued into May, and many protesters have been detained by police in Yerevan.^[8] Protestors are demanding Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan resign over his handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.^[9]

The 2020–2021 Armenian protests resulted in snap parliamentary elections being held on 20 June 2021. Following the election, Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract party won a supermajority in parliament and Pashinyan retained his position as Prime Minister.^[10] Meanwhile on 13 March 2022, Vahagn Khachaturyan was sworn in as the new President of Armenia.^[11]

Protests began in early April 2022 over the implementation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement and a potential peace treaty with Azerbaijan. Nikol Pashinyan and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met in Brussels, Belgium on 6 April 2022 for a joint summit hosted by the European Council. During the summit, both leaders agreed to prepare for negotiations on a bilateral peace agreement.^[12] It is feared that Artsakh would be ceded to Azerbaijan as part of a potential peace agreement.^[13]

Protesters called on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign and for the government of Armenia to provide security guarantees to Artsakh and ensure that the territory is not conceded to Azerbaijan.^[14]

During a speech to the National Assembly on 22 April 2022, Nikol Pashinyan stated, "If we were to surrender Artsakh, we would not have spent tens of billions of drams to ensure the return of Artsakh residents to their homes after the 44-day war" and "Our strategy in the short, medium and long terms is as follows: to ensure a situation or solution whereby the people of Artsakh will continue to live in Artsakh."^[15]

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (May 2022)

On 26 April, Anna Grigoryan, a member of the Armenia Alliance of the National Assembly, started a march from the village of Tigranashen in the Ararat region to Yerevan with a group of citizens.^[16]

On 27 April, a protest was held outside the Armenian Parliament.^[17]

On 4 May, protesters blocked major roads in Yerevan. Several rallies were also held outside of parliament.^[18]

On 10 May, 61 protesters were arrested in Yerevan.^[19]

•  Artsakh: President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan stated that, "No document on the status of Artsakh is being discussed at this stage" and following a meeting with Nikol Pashinyan that, "the two leaders have a clear agreement that in case of any discussion on the future status of Artsakh at the international level, the position of the Armenian side must be agreed upon with the Artsakh authorities and people."^[15]
•  Azerbaijan: The Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov reportedly "echoed Armenian authorities' statements".^[20]
•  European Union: European Council President Charles Michel held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on 18 April 2022. The European Council President reiterated his support to Pashinyan's efforts to promote a peaceful, stable and secure South Caucasus.^[21]
• Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE): On 8 April 2022, the OSCE stated "The OSCE Chairmanship welcomes the meeting of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan under the aegis of the President of the European Council and launching the process towards a possible peace agreement."^[22]
•  Russia: The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said at a press briefing that the crisis was Armenia's internal affair.^[23]
•  United States: The US Department of State has urged Armenian authorities to exercise restraint and encourages anti-government protesters to refrain from violence.^[24]

• 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war