Interfax News Agency, Russia
Oct 23 2008

Sargsian forms expert group to collect evidence about March events in Yerevan

YEREVAN Oct 23

Armenian President Serzh Sargsian has signed a decree on the formation of an expert group to collect evidence about the March 2008 events in Yerevan, the presidential press service said on Thursday.

"The group will collect facts to assist in fulfilling the tasks set before an interim parliamentary commission investigating the March 1 events in Yerevan," the press service said.

The group will comprise two representatives from the ruling coalition, one representative each from the opposition Heritage faction and the Armenian National Congress led by Levon Ter-Petrossian, and one representative from the Armenian Human Rights Defender’s Office.

No media coverage of group’s activity is allowed. Its members have no right to disclose issues discussed during the group’s sessions.

After the February 19 presidential elections in Armenia, the opposition led by ex-president Levon Ter-Petrossian organized mass protests that led to the March 1 clashes with police, in which 10 people were killed and more than 250 sustained injuries.