The parents and other relatives of Armenian soldiers killed in the 44-day war in Artsakh, who demand criminal charges against Nikol Pashinyan over his handling of the war, staged a protest in Yerevan on Tuesday, blocking the street near the Court of Appeals.
They claim that Pashinyan publicly admitted deliberately sacrificing thousands in his remarks in the parliament on April 13, when he said the war “could have been averted, as a result of which we would have had the same situation, but of course without the casualties.” They submitted a “crime report” to the Prosecutor General’s Office on April 18.
A court hearing on the case was scheduled for Tuesday, but it was postponed to Thursday because prosecutor Arshak Martirosyan did not appear in court.
"During the court hearing, we did not get proper answers. It was postponed since the judge was to hear a motion for arrest in another case set for 11am. Thus, we left the courtroom and blocked the road so that they would come and answer our questions now," Anahit Manasyan, the relative of fallen soldier Hayk Melikyan, told reporters.
The soldier’s mother, Naira Melikyan, said the previous hearing was also delayed, deploring the conduct of the Prosecutor's Office and the court.
"Mr. Davtyan, we urge you to wake up,” she said, addressing Armenia’s chief prosecutor, who is currently in Egypt.
The protesters refused to unblock the street until the prosecutor arrived.