On 6 August 2020, Nina Karapetyants, the head of the Helsinki Association of Armenia, was detained by police while holding a solo picket against the development of the Amulsar deposit. The police referred to the ban on mass gatherings imposed by the commandant's office. Local residents reported adverse impact of the Amulsar project on their health, including increases in asthmatic attacks, lung diseases, dry skin, headaches, and insomnia. The construction stopped in June 2018 when local people started blocking the access roads to the mine, arguing it posed a threat to their health, environment, and livelihoods.