"STRUGGLE AGAINST POSTERS"

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[07:15 pm] 25 August, 2008

On August 25 the Armenian National Congress (ANC) issued a statement
which runs,

Today at 10.30 a.m. over 100 policemen and people wearing plain
clothes, showed up in Northern Avenue, shouted abuse at the sit-down
strikers, tore posters and left taking along their posters.

Armenia’s leadership is in a terrible plight. They fear the size,
efficiency and reputation of the sit-down strike in the avenue.

On the eve of a September 5 rally, collection of signatures on
bringing Robert Kocharian before the Court of the Hague gathers new
momentum. Holding 76 political prisoners as hostages the authorities
have waged a struggle against their photos and posters.

They fully realise the size of the upcoming rally organised by the
ANC and fear public vivacity, economic crisis and unprecedented terror
against businessmen. Therefore, the administration resorts to threats,
illegality and torture.

Today when the international community is seriously concerned over the
Georgian-Ossetian conflict Armenia’s leadership tries to seize the last
opportunity and abolish human rights and freedoms. The ANC is surprised
at the silence of international structures towards these events.

We call for patience and restraint as they are mighty weapons. We
state that the leadership’s unbalanced steps and minor hooliganism
will not break the will-power of the Armenian National Congress and
its supporters aimed at overthrowing this totalitarian regime.