The Armenian National Congress (ANC) will use all possible means to free Shant Harutyunyan and his friends.
The party regards them as political prisoners and will spare no effort to free them. "This will be one of the priority tasks of our campaign for changing the ruling regime," the ANC says.
On Oct 17 Leader of Tseghakron Party Shant Harutyunyan was sentenced to 6 years in prison and his son Shahen Harutyunyan was given a 4-year suspended sentence. Vahe Mkrtchyan, one of Shant Harutyunyan's teammates, was sentenced for 7 years in jail, Albert Sarkaryan - 6 years, Sevak Mnatsakanyan - 5.5 years, retired Lieutenant Colonel Vardan Vardanyan, Liparit Petrosyan and Avetis Avetisyan - 5 years, Hayk Harutyunyan - 4.5 years, Alex Poghosyan and Mkrtich Hovhannisyan - 4 years. Armen Hovhannisyan, who served in the Armenian army for 20 years, was sentenced to 2 years in jail, and Tigran Petrosyan was given a 1-year sentence.
Harutyunyan was arrested following the Nov 5 2013 developments in Liberty Square. The clashes in Liberty Square started at 5:30 PM when the demonstrators came across a police cordon. The police say that the demonstration was not sanctioned. As was reported earlier, the demonstrators were moving to Mashtots Park, when Shant Harutyunyan tried to cross the street against the traffic lights. The police's attempt to stop him ended in a skirmish. Harutyunyan and his son were detained. Some demonstrators began blowing up bottles with gasoline. Earlier Shant Harutyunyan organized a picket in Liberty Square. He stood there with a poster saying "I am Declaring a Revolution!" A total of 38 people were detained, and many of them were arrested.