Artsakh’s State Minister Arayik Harutyunyan resigned Wednesday
STEPANAKERT—The three-day streets protests in Artsakh’s capital resulted in the resignation of Wednesday of the country’s state minister and the heads of the national security service and the chief of police.
State Minister Arayik Harutyunyan, whose position was created to replace the office of prime minister, held a press conference to announce his resignation, citing popular demands for change, which were emphasized during the three-day protests, although protesters did not demand his resignation but that of the NSS and police chiefs.
The security chiefs also tendered their resignation later on Wednesday.
The protests began in earnest on Saturday after two people were beaten by NSS officers a night before, resulting in the arrest of 15 people, among the NSS members. Stepanakert resident began blocking streets and converging on the city’s main bus depot demanding the resignation of the NSS and police chiefs. The protests ended Monday night after a plea from Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan who urged the demonstrators to allow Artsakh government officials time to address their demands.
In announcing his resignation, Artsakh Police chief Major-General Kamo Aghajanyan, said the move was prompted by popular calls for him to step down.
Artsakh’s National Security Service director Leutenant-General Arshavir Gharamyan and his deputy, Colonel Gagik Sargsyan, also resigned without citing reasons.
At the press briefing, Harutyunyan, the outgoing state minister, said his decision to step down stemmed from public demand for change and new phase of reforms in the country.
“During the past several months, particularly after the latest events in Armenia—after the ‘velvet revolution-‘—the people of Artsakh also demanded changes,â€
