page_title: 2011 Armenian protests
section_title: 15 March – "Fast for Freedom"
hierarchical_section_title: 2011 Armenian protests / Timeline of protests / Political protests / 15 March – "Fast for Freedom"
caption_attribution_description: English: The second day of Armenian politician Raffi Hovannisian's "Fast for Freedom" at Yerevan's Liberty Square.
context_page_description: The 2011 Armenian protests were a series of civil demonstrations aimed at provoking political reforms and concessions from both the government of Armenia and the civic government of Yerevan, its capital and largest city. Protesters demanded President Serzh Sargsyan release political prisoners, prosecute those responsible for the deaths of opposition activists after the 2008 presidential election and institute democratic and socioeconomic reforms, including the right to organise in Freedom Square in downtown Yerevan. They also protested against Yerevan Mayor Karen Karapetyan for banning the opposition from Freedom Square and barring vendors and traders from the city streets. The opposition bloc Armenian National Congress, which has played a major role in organising and leading the demonstrations, had also called for a snap election and the resignation of the government.
  The government granted several concessions to the protesters, including agreeing to the opposition's terms for an inquiry into the 2008 protest deaths, granting them a permit to rally in Freedom Square, and releasing several imprisoned opposition activists.
context_section_description: Armenian Minister of Parliament and Former Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian, a leader of Heritage, began a hunger strike in Freedom Square on 15 March to protest the government and advocate for snap elections.
caption: Raffi Hovannisian on hunger-strike near Freedom Square, 16 March
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