ARMENIAN STUDENTS PROTEST ELECTION
By Avet Demourian
Associated Press
February 22nd, 2008
YEREVAN, Armenia — About 3,000 students marched to the chief
prosecutor’s office in the Armenian capital on Friday in continuing
opposition protests against alleged election fraud.
The opposition claims Tuesday’s presidential vote was rigged and
demands a recount.
Election officials said Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian – the favorite
to succeed outgoing President Robert Kocharian – won the election with
53 percent of the vote. Opposition candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian had
21 percent, according to the official results.
On Thursday, activists set up about a dozen tents on a central
Yerevan square and about 2,000 opposition supporters maintaned a
vigil overnight in an effort to launch round-the-clock protests. An
estimated 25,000 protesters rallied in Yerevan on Thursday.
Students holding banners that read "Sarkisian, Go!" delivered petitions
to the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Central Election Commission
on Friday demanding that it take action against election violations.
Government opponents have said the election was marred by widespread
violations and violence targeting opposition activists who monitored
the vote.
Election observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe said there were concerns about the vote count, but issued
a generally positive assessment.