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ABOUT 8,000 ATTEND OPPOSITION RALLY IN DOWNTOWN YEREVAN
ITAR-TASS
June 20 2008
Russia
YEREVAN, June 20 (Itar-Tass) -- About 8,000 people attended an
opposition rally in downtown Yerevan on Friday, the police said.
They supported first Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrossian who
lost the recent presidential election and refused to recognize the
ballot results.
The rally was delayed for two hours because police units had
cordoned the square in front of the Old Manuscripts Research
Institute. Initially, the Yerevan authorities did not permit the
organizers to hold the rally in the city center and offered them a
location next to the Razdan stadium. The protesters rejected the
offer, broke through the police line and approached the research
institute. They installed loudspeakers on the square, which dominates
over Yerevan.
The protesters greeted Ter-Petrossian with an ovation and chanted
"Levon for President." They also commemorated ten people who died
during Yerevan riots on March 1-2. The police called for ending the
rally, which they called illegal.
Police patrols near the presidential palace and the parliament
building were reinforced. OMON units surrounded the park near the
Opera Theater, where the opposition rally lasted non-stop for ten
days after the presidential election.
Armenian authorities have recently changed laws and enlarged
opposition rights. A parliamentary ad hoc commission has been formed to
investigate the Yerevan riots with the assistance of representatives
of the Council of Europe and the OSCE ODIHR. The opposition said that
was not enough.
ITAR-TASS
June 20 2008
Russia
YEREVAN, June 20 (Itar-Tass) -- About 8,000 people attended an
opposition rally in downtown Yerevan on Friday, the police said.
They supported first Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrossian who
lost the recent presidential election and refused to recognize the
ballot results.
The rally was delayed for two hours because police units had
cordoned the square in front of the Old Manuscripts Research
Institute. Initially, the Yerevan authorities did not permit the
organizers to hold the rally in the city center and offered them a
location next to the Razdan stadium. The protesters rejected the
offer, broke through the police line and approached the research
institute. They installed loudspeakers on the square, which dominates
over Yerevan.
The protesters greeted Ter-Petrossian with an ovation and chanted
"Levon for President." They also commemorated ten people who died
during Yerevan riots on March 1-2. The police called for ending the
rally, which they called illegal.
Police patrols near the presidential palace and the parliament
building were reinforced. OMON units surrounded the park near the
Opera Theater, where the opposition rally lasted non-stop for ten
days after the presidential election.
Armenian authorities have recently changed laws and enlarged
opposition rights. A parliamentary ad hoc commission has been formed to
investigate the Yerevan riots with the assistance of representatives
of the Council of Europe and the OSCE ODIHR. The opposition said that
was not enough.