Armenian police have detained 21 people at a Yerevan rally to demand that the government cancel celebrations planned to be held in the city on 21 September to mark the 30th anniversary of the country's independence.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had announced on 8 September that the authorities were planning to hold "large-scale colourful" celebrations in Yerevan to mark the anniversary. Pashinyan's remarks came as the authorities were facing mounting criticism over human losses during the 44-day Karabakh war in September-November 2020 against Azerbaijan and their failure to return Armenians held in Azerbaijan.

Pashinyan later apologised for using the word "colourful." "We are doing our utmost regarding [the return of] captives. As for the colourful celebrations planned for Independence Day, I want to apologise to all those people whose feelings I offended with this expression," Pashinyan said.

"Our brothers have died for the country to remain independent. Did we not have captives last year or a year before when we celebrated this day? We are planning to display memorable events of the past 30 years by staging performances," Pashinyan's aide Nairi Sargsyan told relatives of soldiers killed in the 44-day war on 17 September.