Raffi Hovhannisyan Stops His Hunger Strike

Following 15 days of his protest (‘fasting for freedom”), the Chairman of Armenia’s Heritage party Raffi Hovhannisyan stopped his hunger strike in Yerevan’s Freedom Square. Hovhannisyan called on priest Grigor Hovhannisyan to the square for the bread consecration ceremony that would symbolize what he called the end of “the first act of a freedom campaign.” “But this doesn’t mark the end of the struggle,” he said.

Hovannisian began what he calls his “freedom fast” on March 15 in protest against the state of affairs in Armenia and the government’s perceived failure to address problems facing the country. He has indicated that the holding of snap presidential and parliamentary elections is among “radical solutions” sought by him and his party.