ARMENIAN MINISTRY DENIES ARMY INVOLVEMENT IN OPPOSITION RALLY DISPERSAL
Mediamax
Feb 19 2009
Armenia
Yerevan, 19 February: The Defence Ministry has denied the [18 February]
statement by the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) that
the armed forces took part in the dispersal of an opposition rally
on 1-2 March 2008 and were brought into the capital before the state
of emergency was declared.
Units of Armenia’s armed forces took state entities of special
significance under their protection at 2225 [1825 gmt] on 1 March
2008, after the president [former President Robert Kocharyan] signed
a decree declaring a state of emergency, the ministry’s press service
told Mediamax news agency.
The press service emphasized that units of the armed forces received
an order not to use force. They also noted that army units neither
used arms nor took part in any actions aimed at restoring public order.
"Such actions are carried out by police units, including police
troops. Representatives of police troops wear the same field uniform as
the armed forces. Because of this, some people form a mistaken opinion
about the armed forces’ participation in restoration of public order,"
the press service of the Defence Ministry said.