Masis Nazaryan, the leader of the local Armenian community, and Elen Kirakosyan, an activist, were arrested in Yekaterinburg on the charge of organizing an illegal assembly, who demanded to open the Lachin Corridor during the January 23 protest. The Union of Armenians of Russia called that arrest "political provocation".
On January 23, the Armenians of Yekaterinburg organized a solidarity meeting with Artsakh in the walled area of the church and demanded to open the road passing through Lachin Corridor. Several dozen people participated in the action.
After that meeting, the local police drew up a protocol, in which they noted that "Nazaryan and Kirakosyan organized a public event that was not agreed with the authorities." Both were detained for 5 days.
The Union of Armenians of Russia called the court's decision "a severe demonstrative punishment".
"We consider that decision a theoretically explosive political provocation, its purpose is to incite anti-Armenian sentiments among the Russian public and anti-Russian sentiments among the Armenian public," the Union of Armenians of Russia stated.
