"HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS IN ARMENIA" REPORTS HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Panorama.am
15:31 15/01/2009
Human Rights Watch organization published its annual report, according
to that report Armenia faced crisis in the field of defending human
rights in 2008. "Armenia experienced one of its most serious civil and
political rights crises since independence when security forces used
excessive force on March 1 against opposition demonstrators protesting
the results of the February 2008 presidential election. Violent clashes
erupted between police and demonstrators, and authorities arrested
several hundred demonstrators and prosecuted more than a hundred
opposition supporters. A state of emergency temporarily restricted
several basic freedoms, including freedom of assembly," says the
report which is published on the official web site of the organization.
According to the report on March 1, special police forces confronted
the demonstrators using excessive force, beating them with batons and
attacking fleeing demonstrators. Some demonstrators also resorted to
violence, including throwing stones and burning vehicles.
"Under pressure from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE), the Armenian authorities have taken steps to establish
an independent inquiry into the March 1 events, but have yet to hold
anyone responsible for the deaths."
From: Baghdasarian