Nine Detained During Protest Against Sarkisian Decision

Nine protesters were detained by the Armenian police over their protest organized near the presidential palace in Yerevan on September 4 against the decision announced the previous day by President Serzh Sarkisian in Moscow that Armenia will be joining the Russia-led Customs Union. Members of the public enraged by the announcement made after Sarkisian held talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin gathered near the official residence of the Armenian head of state at 26 Baghramian Avenue in Yerevan to voice their opposition. Deputy Chief of Yerevan’s Police Valeri Osipian explained to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that the protesters were taken to the police station because they “had disturbed public order”.