Artur Vanetsyan, the leader of the opposition Homeland Party and an MP from the With Honor (Pativ Unem) bloc, urges opposition protesters not to succumb to provocations and refrain from clashes with riot police. 

"We are also fighting for the future of the police officers who are using force against us as well as their children, mothers and sisters," he said in a live video on Facebook.

On Monday morning, the Armenian opposition began a large-scale civil disobedience campaign aimed at ousting Nikol Pashinyan and his cabinet.

"Do your job, blocking streets, schools and universities! Dear students, young people, take to the streets, as this is your struggle. Yerevanites, I am one of you, come out and support us, we have no other way out, we can't let some scoundrels ruin our traditions. Everything is going to be fine," Vanetsyan said.

He urged all to join the opposition rally to be held in Yerevan’s France Square at 6pm today.

In the meantime, the acts of civil disobedience continue, the opposition leader said.