Armenia president declares state of emergency
Saturday 01 March 2008

France24, France
March 1 2008

Pres. Robert Kocharyan, battling to contain rising opposition protests,
declared a state of emergency in the capital on Saturday. At least
one death was reported; eight police officers were wounded.

YEREVAN, March 1 (Reuters) – At least one person died and many others
were injured on Saturday evening after Armenian police fired tracer
bullets to break up opposition protests in the capital, an opposition
demonstrator said.

"He was killed by a tracer bullet which must have ricocheted as
police were shooting in the air to disperse an opposition rally being
held nearby," the opposition activist told Reuters on condition of
anonymity. "We know of many wounded people."

"The opposition is still controlling the square near the mayor’s
office," he added. He said there are Italian, French and Russian
embassies nearby. "The man who was killed died near the Russian
legation."