OPPOSITION RALLY PARTICIPANTS BEATEN EACH OTHER IN YEREVAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
02.07.2009 21:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Started at around 08.00 p.m., the rally organized
by the Armenian National Congress (ANC) gathered over 3000 people
near the repository of ancient manuscripts Matenadaran in Yerevan.

The rally began with a short brawl between some participants, but
other protesters quickly prevent them from fighting. Police was not
at the site at the moment of conflict. Posters with a picture of RA
MP Sasun Mikaelyan, currently imprisoned, were in the hands of some
rally participants.

The first speech of Ashot Zakaryan, ANC activist and the head of the
Shirak territorial body of "Yerkrapah" began with criticism towards
authorities on the matter of recently declared amnesty. According to
Ashot Zakaryan, "it is not forced compromise of authorities conditioned
by the pressure of Europe". The latter does not care for democracy
in countries like Armenia. According to him, the amnesty is a victory
of opposition forces in Armenia.

In later statements the June amnesty was called ‘cheap propaganda
trick’, since hundreds of people had been arrested and put in jail
after March 1 events.

The Armenian National Congress leaders, Levon Ter-Petrossian, Stepan
Demirchyan, Aram Sarkisyan, David Shahnazaryan, Ararat Zurabyan
and Levon Zurabyan, as well as recently released from prison due to
amnesty former Deputy Prosecutor General of Armenia Gagik Jhangiryan
take part in today’s rally.