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Voice of America
Oct 1 2011
Armenian Opposition Continues Anti-government Protest
Posted Saturday, October 1st, 2011 at 3:10 pm
Hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Armenia's capital, Yerevan, for
a second day Saturday, demanding early parliamentary elections and
electoral law reform.
Activists of the opposition Armenian National Congress set up tents in
Yerevan's Freedom Square and said they will continue the
anti-government protest as long as necessary.
The opposition wants presidential and parliamentary elections before
the end of the year and amendments to Armenia's electoral code to take
place before a vote. Activists also demand the release of political
prisoners and an investigation into the government crackdown on
post-election protests in March 2008 that killed eight people.
Opposition leader Levon ter-Petrosyan, a former Armenian president,
has led frequent protests since then, but the number of protesters has
been dwindling.
The government has rejected the possibility of early elections.
Armenia has had political tensions since it became independent from
the Soviet Union in 1991, with a series of disputed elections and a
war with neighboring Azerbaijan over the Armenian-speaking region of
Nagorno Karabakh.
Deadly riots erupted in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, following the
February 19th vote, when police clashed with opposition supporters who
said the election was rigged. Official results gave a landslide
victory to former Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisyan, who has since been
sworn into office. Mr. Ter-Petrosyan, who disputes election results,
won 21 percent of the vote.
More than 100 opposition members were arrested during post-election
violence in 2008, and there have been allegations of police brutality
against detainees.
From: Baghdasarian
Oct 1 2011
Armenian Opposition Continues Anti-government Protest
Posted Saturday, October 1st, 2011 at 3:10 pm
Hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Armenia's capital, Yerevan, for
a second day Saturday, demanding early parliamentary elections and
electoral law reform.
Activists of the opposition Armenian National Congress set up tents in
Yerevan's Freedom Square and said they will continue the
anti-government protest as long as necessary.
The opposition wants presidential and parliamentary elections before
the end of the year and amendments to Armenia's electoral code to take
place before a vote. Activists also demand the release of political
prisoners and an investigation into the government crackdown on
post-election protests in March 2008 that killed eight people.
Opposition leader Levon ter-Petrosyan, a former Armenian president,
has led frequent protests since then, but the number of protesters has
been dwindling.
The government has rejected the possibility of early elections.
Armenia has had political tensions since it became independent from
the Soviet Union in 1991, with a series of disputed elections and a
war with neighboring Azerbaijan over the Armenian-speaking region of
Nagorno Karabakh.
Deadly riots erupted in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, following the
February 19th vote, when police clashed with opposition supporters who
said the election was rigged. Official results gave a landslide
victory to former Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisyan, who has since been
sworn into office. Mr. Ter-Petrosyan, who disputes election results,
won 21 percent of the vote.
More than 100 opposition members were arrested during post-election
violence in 2008, and there have been allegations of police brutality
against detainees.
From: Baghdasarian