YOUNG ARMENIANS STAGE PROTEST NEAR FRENCH EMBASSY IN YEREVAN

Aravot
April 10 2008
Armenia

A group of young people held a rally near the French Embassy in the
Armenian capital Yerevan on 9 April tocommemorate the victims of the
1-2 March clashes between security forces and opposition protesters,
Aravot daily reported on 10 April. Protesters stood in front of the
embassy for 10-15 minutes wearing black ribbons over their eyes
and holding posters that said: "La France, mon amie?" ("France,
my friend?"), the newspaper reported.

The rally coincided with the inauguration of President-elect Serzh
Sargsyan. The Armenian opposition organized protests near embassies
and diplomatic missions in Yerevan on that day.

The 19 February presidential election in Armenia was followed by
10-day rallies of supporters of former PresidentLevon Ter-Petrosyan,
who demanded a repeat election and claimed the election had been
rigged by the authorities. The opposition rally was dispersed by
security forces on 1 March; official reports say eight people were
killed in clashes between security forces and protesters on 1 March.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress