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EIGHT DIE AS ARMENIAN POLICE BREAK UP PRESIDENTIAL PROTEST
InTheNews.co.uk
March 2 2008
UK
Eight people have died in clashes in Armenia's capital city, Yerevan,
after police broke up a 10-day protest by demonstrators who claim
the country's presidential election was rigged.
Thousands of opposition supporters have been demonstrating on a daily
basis in the capital's Freedom Square since prime minister Serzh
Sarkisian was elected to replace Robert Kockarian as president on
February 19th.
On Saturday, police moved into the square to disperse the opposition
camp, where protestors have been calling for the opposition politician
Levn Ter-Petrosian to be declared president.
The move escalated into fierce clashes between the police and
demonstrators with tear gas and shots being fired into the air,
while cars were set alight and shop windows smashed, as the police
tried to break up the crowd.
A police spokesman said that eight people had been killed and 33
officers had been injured.
As a result, the outgoing president Mr Kockarian declared a state of
emergency late on Saturday night, banning all protests and subjecting
the news media to censorship.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) today
sent an envoy to Yerevan to meet the Armenian government.
Supporters of Mr Ter-Petrosian claimed that they would continue to
protest against the election result and will not be put off by this
weekend's violence.
"I am deeply convinced that even if Sarkisian stays on, he won't be a
legitimate president. I have no doubt the people won't tolerate this,"
one supporter told reporters.
InTheNews.co.uk
March 2 2008
UK
Eight people have died in clashes in Armenia's capital city, Yerevan,
after police broke up a 10-day protest by demonstrators who claim
the country's presidential election was rigged.
Thousands of opposition supporters have been demonstrating on a daily
basis in the capital's Freedom Square since prime minister Serzh
Sarkisian was elected to replace Robert Kockarian as president on
February 19th.
On Saturday, police moved into the square to disperse the opposition
camp, where protestors have been calling for the opposition politician
Levn Ter-Petrosian to be declared president.
The move escalated into fierce clashes between the police and
demonstrators with tear gas and shots being fired into the air,
while cars were set alight and shop windows smashed, as the police
tried to break up the crowd.
A police spokesman said that eight people had been killed and 33
officers had been injured.
As a result, the outgoing president Mr Kockarian declared a state of
emergency late on Saturday night, banning all protests and subjecting
the news media to censorship.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) today
sent an envoy to Yerevan to meet the Armenian government.
Supporters of Mr Ter-Petrosian claimed that they would continue to
protest against the election result and will not be put off by this
weekend's violence.
"I am deeply convinced that even if Sarkisian stays on, he won't be a
legitimate president. I have no doubt the people won't tolerate this,"
one supporter told reporters.