YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Representatives of the pro-government majority in the Armenian parliament denounced on February 26 what they called threats to the authorities made by a leader of a party whose members stormed a police station in Yerevan in 2016.
Zhirayr Sefilyan of the Sasna Tsrer party demanded on Monday, February 25, the immediate release of his two loyalists accused of murdering three police officers during the attack. Sefilyan threatened to “force” the authorities to free them.
His strongly-worded statement fueled media speculation about extreme actions against the Armenian government planned by Sasna Tsrer.
Sefilyan dismissed such speculation on Tuesday, accusing unnamed media outlets of “distorting” his statement. He insisted that his party is not planning an armed struggle against the country’s current leadership.
This did not stop senior lawmakers representing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s My Step alliance from condemning Sefilyan.
“They had better finally stop talking in the language of threats,” said Lena Nazaryan, a deputy parliament speaker. “That is unacceptable. That will not produce any results.”