Director of the Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan believes that the precedent of "Daredevils of Sasoun" may spark more attempts of radical steps against authorities in Armenia.
On July 17, Artsakh war hero Zhirayr Sefilyan's armed loyalists, who are calling themselves "Sasna Tsrer" (The Daredevils of Sasun), seized the building of the Patrol-Guard Service Regiment in Erebuni district of Yerevan and took hostages, including high-ranking police officers. The group of 26 people demand releasing Sefilyan, who was arrested on June 20 on suspicion of acquisition and keeping of weapons and ammunition, as well as resignation of President Serzh Sargsyan. The hostages have been released, but the group refuses to put down arms and insists on its demands.
"The seizure of a police station does not threaten the authorities. However, such precedent is dangerous, as there are already people able to settle political tasks with arms in Armenia. The fact that these guys will sooner or later be jailed, makes the situation even more instable," Iskandaryan told ArmInfo.
In his words, the reasons behind such radical processes in Armenia are not only the discontent and views of the "Daredevils of Sasoun" or the Founding Parliament initiative. There are much deeper factors, such as discontent with the social situation, politics, policy and the political system in general. This discontent has grown into violence and this cannot but affect the domestic political situation in the country, the expert said.