On August 4, Founding Parliament opposition initiative published an audio footage of Karabakh MP, Major General Vitaly Balasanyan's talks with members of Daredevils of Sasoun group that seized the police compound in Yerevan earlier last month demanding among others the resignation of the president.
One can hear clearly from the record that Balasanyan promises Araik Khandoyan to organize a meeting for their jailed leader Jirayr Sefilyan and President Serzh Sargsyan, if the group surrenders. Balasanyan repeatedly says that he agreed with the president over the meeting with Sefilyan, if the group surrenders. "The president promised to me personally that he will meet with Sefilyan and discuss all the issues with him as soon as the group surrenders," Balasanyan says promising to guarantee the security of the group members after their surrender.
"I promise that in case of surrender, they will not be subjected to tortures and violence," he says. In response Araik Khandoyan says, "The guys are not afraid of tortures or beating." Then another member of the group, Varuzhan Avetisyan picks up and insistently asks to connect them with Sefilyan. "Only after his order, the young members of our group will agree to surrender. Otherwise, they threaten to blow themselves up. As for the Sefilyan-Sargsyan meeting, it can be discussed afterwards," Avetisyan says.
In response, Balasanyan says frankly that he cannot connect the group with Sefilyan by phone, as the president bans. It is noteworthy that Khandoyan and Avetisyan make demands on behalf of the young members of the group, not on their behalf.
The audio record was published as the meeting of the president and Sefilyan has not taken place despite the surrender of the group.
Meantime, Hermine Naghdalyan, Vice Speaker of the Parliament addressed the record after the meeting of the Republican Party's Executive Body saying Serzh Sargsyan is the statesman that always fulfills his promises.