Jailed journalist Nikol Pashinyan released

Jailed journalist Nikol Pashinyan has been released and was cheered by a jubilant crowd that had been waiting for him for hours outside the Artik penitentiary on Friday.

The crowd booed as Pashinyan stepped out the prison gates, waiving hands and chanting “Levon, Levon” - the name of Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan who is also the leader of the opposition alliance Armenian National Congress.

Pashinyan was immediately surrounded by family member, relatives, friends and reporters.

“Our fights is unpreventable, our victory inevitable,” said Pashinyan.

Nikol Pashinyan was sentenced over the 1-2 March 2008 post-election unrest that left at least ten people killed and many wounded.

Earlier in the day, the authorities release Sasun Mikaelyan – a former MP also sentenced over the March events.