X
    Categories: 2020

Armenia PM pays tribute to victims of March 1, 2008 events in Yerevan

News.am, Armenia
March 1 2020
17:31, 01.03.2020
                  

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, his wife and three daughters paid tribute to the victims of the events that took place on March 1, 2008 in Yerevan and laid flowers near the statue of Myasnikyan.

Several members of government and high-ranking officials also paid their respects.

Exactly 12 years ago, tragic events took place in central Yerevan, taking the lives of 10 citizens.

In the wake of the presidential elections that took place on February 18, 2008, the supporters of first President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan gathered at Liberty Square with the demand for a recount of the votes and held round-the-clock rallies at Liberty Square for ten consecutive days.

On the morning of March 1, police dispersed the crowd by force, after which people started gathering near the statue of Myasnikyan. On the evening of the same day, President Robert Kocharyan declared martial law. The clashes took the lives of 10 citizens, including two police officers, and another 200 received injuries of various degrees.

The ten victims were Gor Kloyan, Davit Petrosyan, Tigran Abgaryan, Tigran Khachatryan, Armen Farmanyan, Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Hamlet Tadevosyan, Grigor Gevorgyan, Samvel Harutyunyan and Zakar Hovhannisyan.

Several people were detained and arrested after being charged with participation in the mass disturbances.

Within the scope of the case regarding the events of March 1, 2008, second President of Armenia Robert Kochayran, ex-defense minister Mikayel Harutyunyan, Yuri Khachaturov and ex-Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan are charged with overthrow of constitutional order. Former Presidents of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Serzh Sargsyan have been interviewed as witnesses.

The Prime Minister talked to the relatives of the deceased after laying flowers.


Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS