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RALLIES TO BE DISPERSED AFTER STATE OF EMERGENCY LIFTED - ARMENIAN LEADER
Mediamax
March 20 2008
Armenia
Yerevan, 20 March: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said today
in Yerevan that the law-enforcement bodies will resolutely foil any
attempt to stage unsanctioned rallies and demonstrations after the
state of emergency [which was introduced on 1 March after riots in
Armenia's capital Yerevan] is lifted at midnight today.
Speaking at a news conference today in Yerevan, Kocharyan said that
before the events of 1 March the law-enforcement bodies refrained
for nine days from dispersing the illegal rally as instructed by the
president, Mediamax news agency has reported.
"I am not sure that I acted correctly," Kocharyan said, noting that
the dispersal of the illegal rally on the second or third day would
most likely have made it possible to avoid what happened in Yerevan
on 1 March and casualties.
The Armenian president said "new rallies and demonstrations will not
further stabilization".
"Above all, people who used arms against the police on 1 March are
wanted. One cannot rule out that these people will resort to any
provocations in order to further aggravate the situation and avoid
punishment," Kocharyan said.
The president disagreed with the opinion that the recent changes to the
law on rallies and demonstrations turn Armenia into "a police state".
"We are not talking about banning rallies at all. However, in the
current situation the law-enforcement bodies, which are responsible
for the security of such events, will act according to the situation,"
Kocharyan said.
Mediamax
March 20 2008
Armenia
Yerevan, 20 March: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said today
in Yerevan that the law-enforcement bodies will resolutely foil any
attempt to stage unsanctioned rallies and demonstrations after the
state of emergency [which was introduced on 1 March after riots in
Armenia's capital Yerevan] is lifted at midnight today.
Speaking at a news conference today in Yerevan, Kocharyan said that
before the events of 1 March the law-enforcement bodies refrained
for nine days from dispersing the illegal rally as instructed by the
president, Mediamax news agency has reported.
"I am not sure that I acted correctly," Kocharyan said, noting that
the dispersal of the illegal rally on the second or third day would
most likely have made it possible to avoid what happened in Yerevan
on 1 March and casualties.
The Armenian president said "new rallies and demonstrations will not
further stabilization".
"Above all, people who used arms against the police on 1 March are
wanted. One cannot rule out that these people will resort to any
provocations in order to further aggravate the situation and avoid
punishment," Kocharyan said.
The president disagreed with the opinion that the recent changes to the
law on rallies and demonstrations turn Armenia into "a police state".
"We are not talking about banning rallies at all. However, in the
current situation the law-enforcement bodies, which are responsible
for the security of such events, will act according to the situation,"
Kocharyan said.