ARMENIAN POLICE USE FORCE AGAINST PROTESTERS
ARMINFO
Friday, February 22, 15:50
The Armenian police have used force against the citizens holding a
protest action in front of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.
Civil activists were going to hold a protest action in front of
the OSCE Office in Yerevan and to present the OSCE/ODIHR observers
with souvenirs symbolizing rigged election. However, a big number of
policemen had gathered there before the arrival of the protesters. The
police used brute force against the protesters and dispersed them. At
the moment, the street is cordoned off.
The Office representatives expressed willingness to meet with two
participants in the action, however the protesters refused, as the
police hinder the free movement of the citizens. Ruzanna Simonyan,
a protester, said that all the participants in the action have
equal rights and all of them have something to tell the OSCE Office
representatives. "We have already prepared and published the letter
to be handed to the OSCE Office representatives, but we cannot do
that because of the illegal actions of the police", she said.
At the moment the protesters are continuing their action in front of
the building of the Syrian Embassy.
To note, it was the preliminary results of the Feb 18 presidential
election that caused such a wide response. According to the preliminary
results of the election, the incumbent President of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan obtained 58.64% (861,160 votes), and his key opponent, leader
of Heritage Party Raffi Hovannisian - 36.75% (539,672). Hovannisian
disagrees with the election results and has been holding mass protest
actions for three days. He demands that Serzh Sargsyan should cede
the power.
ARMINFO
Friday, February 22, 15:50
The Armenian police have used force against the citizens holding a
protest action in front of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.
Civil activists were going to hold a protest action in front of
the OSCE Office in Yerevan and to present the OSCE/ODIHR observers
with souvenirs symbolizing rigged election. However, a big number of
policemen had gathered there before the arrival of the protesters. The
police used brute force against the protesters and dispersed them. At
the moment, the street is cordoned off.
The Office representatives expressed willingness to meet with two
participants in the action, however the protesters refused, as the
police hinder the free movement of the citizens. Ruzanna Simonyan,
a protester, said that all the participants in the action have
equal rights and all of them have something to tell the OSCE Office
representatives. "We have already prepared and published the letter
to be handed to the OSCE Office representatives, but we cannot do
that because of the illegal actions of the police", she said.
At the moment the protesters are continuing their action in front of
the building of the Syrian Embassy.
To note, it was the preliminary results of the Feb 18 presidential
election that caused such a wide response. According to the preliminary
results of the election, the incumbent President of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan obtained 58.64% (861,160 votes), and his key opponent, leader
of Heritage Party Raffi Hovannisian - 36.75% (539,672). Hovannisian
disagrees with the election results and has been holding mass protest
actions for three days. He demands that Serzh Sargsyan should cede
the power.