STATE OF EMERGENCY MUST BE LIFTED, THOSE ARRESTED FREED – TER-PETROSIAN

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS
March 5, 2008
Russia

Armenia’s former president Levon Ter- Petrosian, who was defeated in
the February 19 presidential election, has said the state of emergency
in Yerevan should be lifted, those arrested should be freed and an
international investigation launched into the unrest in city.

"Many of my supporters were arrested. They are important witnesses
who can provide valuable information about election irregularities,"
Ter-Petrosian told the Constitutional Court on Wednesday.

The Constitutional Court was hearing Ter-Petrosian’s request for the
annulment of the official election returns.

"Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, as a presidential candidate, has
continued to perform his government duties, which is another violation
of the constitution," he said.

Ter-Petrosian also said that, "the state of emergency must be lifted,
all those arrested must be freed, the situation must be covered evenly
by all mass media, an international probe must be launched into the
unrest in Yerevan and a dialogue started between the opposition and
the government."

"Otherwise, the Constitutional Court’s rulings will lack legitimacy.

I do not know how this fact will be taken by the people and by the
international public," he said.