ARMENIAN OPPOSITION STAGE PROTEST
BBC NEWS
urope/7308860.stm
2008/03/21 17:26:18 GMT
More than 1,000 Armenian opposition supporters have attended a protest
in Yerevan following the end of the state of emergency imposed three
weeks ago.
The demonstrators lit candles and held pictures of the more than 100
activists who were arrested after clashes with police on 1 March left
eight dead.
fighting erupted when officers tried to end a protest against the
result of last month’s presidential election.
The poll gave victory to the current Prime Minister, Serzh Sarkisian.
The opposition says there was widespread fraud and wants to result
overturned.
Vigil
Supporters of the main opposition leader, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who
came second, took part in the march in Yerevan on Friday, only hours
after the state of emergency was lifted.
The procession was a peaceful vigil to remember the 106 opposition
activists arrested since the clashes for allegedly plotting a coup.
No violence was reported, although several protesters shouted at
riot police.
When announcing the end of the state of emergency, outgoing President
Robert Kocharian warned that any unauthorised protests would not
be tolerated.
A new law passed this week allows the authorities to ban demonstrations
if they are said to be a threat to public order.
But the opposition says it has the right to protest and will find a
way to work around the legislation.
The party of President-elect Sarkisian and three other parties have
agreed to form a coalition government ahead of his inauguration on
9 April.