Eight people killed in night riots in Yerevan – ministry

02.03.2008, 12.39

YEREVAN, March 2 (Itar-Tass) – According to the Armenian Healthcare
Ministry, eight people were killed in mass riots in the capital of
Armenia, Yerevan, last night. The General Prosecutor’s Office is
looking into the circumstances of these deaths.

Thirty-three policemen were hospitalised. Eleven of them received
fragmentation wounds, while 13 – different injuries. Eight suffered
from gas poisoning.

According to police "from time to time, big and small bandit groups
broke away from the crowd of 7,000 protesters. They set on fire over
20 vehicles, including ambulances".

Police have urged people "to exercise vigilance and restraint,
implicitly obey demands of the state of emergency, contribute to law
enforcement agencies in liquidating the aftermath of mass riots".

President Robert Kocharyan declared the state of emergency on Saturday
night, following a day of clashed between police and demonstrators
demanding to invalidate the results of the February 19 presidential
election.