Yerevan police forcefully detained world-famous Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler, two-time European champion and Olympic bronze medalist Roman Amoyan in front of the National Assembly building for ‘defying the police order’ on Tuesday morning.
Amoyan had joined a group of other citizens rallying in support of opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader, lawmaker Gagik Tsarukyan as the parliament is debating stripping the latter of his immunity from prosecution.
Deputy Chief of Yerevan Police Artur Khudinyan told reporters police had given time to the MP’s backers to leave the area as assemblies are banned in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic, but the latter refused to abide by the police order and were subsequently taken into custody.
The top police officer explained that the wrestler, too, had refused to leave the area of the assembly and had resisted police officers.
Police also used force while detaining women outside the parliament.