ARMENIAN PRESIDENT STATED THAT LAW-ENFORCEMENT BODIES WILL SUPPRESS EFFORTS OF CARRYING OUT UNAPPROVED RALLIES AND DEMONSTRATIONS
Mediamax
March 20, 2008
Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated in
Yerevan today that the law-enforcement bodies will suppress any
efforts to carry out unapproved rallies or demonstrations after the
lifting of the state of emergency at midnight today.
Mediamax reports that, speaking at a news conference in Yerevan
today, Robert Kocharian stated that before the events of March 1,
the law-enforcement bodies in the course of 9 days had refrained
from dispersing the participants of the illegal rally according to
the order of the President.
"I am not sure I did the right thing", Robert Kocharian stated, noting
that the suppression of the illegal rally on the second-third day,
most likely, would allow avoiding what happened in Yerevan on March
1 and the human losses.
The Armenian President stated that "the new rallies and demonstrations
will not assist the stabilization".
"Besides all that, there are people searched, who on March 1 used
arms against the policemen. One cannot rule out that these people
will take up any provocations, to more aggravate the situation and
to avoid punishment", Robert Kocharian stated.
The President expressed disagreement to the opinion that the latest
changes in the law on rallies and demonstrations turn Armenia into a
"police state".
"The point is not to completely forbid realization of rallies. But
in the present situation, the law-enforcement bodies, which are
responsible for the security of such events, will act in accordance
with the present situation", Robert Kocharian stressed.