Misak Avetisyan, the father of Senior Lieutenant Levon Avetisyan who was killed in the 44-day war in Artsakh, started a hunger strike in Yerevan’s Liberty Square on Monday.

He demanded that Armenia’s law enforcement authorities arrest Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, warning to take a more radical step otherwise.

“I am announcing a hunger strike until May 8 and will resort to a radical step on May 8. I am ready for it and I urge the Armenian Prosecutor's Office and the National Security Service (NSS) to arrest this traitor and enemy agent holding the prime minister’s office,” the angry father told reporters.

“I can't live like this anymore. What else should happen for us to get rid of the so-called prime minister? I hope that by 8 May the Prosecutor's Office and the NSS will take the initiative, otherwise I am going to commit self-immolation in the Republic Square on May 8, the Shushi Liberation Day.

“I would like to appeal to top army officers and generals: If you value your title, you should also interfere, unless, of course, the Prosecutor's Office and the NSS don’t do it,” Avetisyan said.

He blamed Pashinyan for thousands of Armenian casualties in the 2020 war, stressing he could have prevented or stopped it.