The Armenian opposition started a protest near the parliament building in central Yerevan on Friday morning amid debates being held by the parliament majority to strip two opposition lawmakers of their posts. Scores of police officers have cordoned off the street near the building.

The ruling Civil Contract faction has drafted a decision to oust Hayastan bloc’s Ishkhan Saghatelyan and Vahe Hakobyan as deputy parliament speaker and chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, respectively, for absenteeism.

Hayk Derzyan, a member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), denounced the process as “anti-democratic”, saying it is detrimental to the people who voted for the opposition at the 2021 elections.

“In fact, they are trying to stifle the voice of the opposition,” he told reporters.

The opposition has scheduled its next rally for Friday evening.