ARMENIAN OPPOSITION DENIED PERMISSION TO RALLY IN CENTRAL YEREVAN

Interfax News Agency
June 27 2008
Russia

The Yerevan city authorities have denied permission to the opposition
to stage a rally on Freedom Square or outside the Matenadaran museum
of old scripts on July 4 but have suggested the Razdan or Dynamo
stadiums, instead.

"The mayor’s office said that the decision was made after police
expressed worries about planned riots. We strongly disagreed with
their argument," Levon Zurabian of the Pan-Armenian National Movement
led by former President Levon Ter-Petrosian told Interfax.

The text of the decision banning the opposition rally in central
Yerevan was posted on the city mayor’s official web site.

However, because the 72 hours since the application was submitted to
the authorities expired at 09:25 a.m. on June 26, now, according to
the law on mass events, the opposition is entitled to stage a rally
as planned, Zurabian said.
From: Baghdasarian