EurasiaNet, NY
Feb. 25, 2008
Arrests of Ter-Petrosian Supporters Continue
By Marianna Grigoryan: 02/25/08
Post-election political tensions are simmering in Armenia with the
arrest of several political figures and government officials who have
declared their support for former President Levon Ter-Petrosian. The
government has presented the arrests as part of an attempt to crack
down on an armed uprising.
Final election results released by the Central Electoral Commission
on February 24 gave the presidency to Prime Minister Serzh Sarksian
with 52.8 percent of the vote. Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian
trailed in a distant second place with 21.5 percent.
The announcement, however, has so far done little to deter thousands
of opposition supporters from joining the round-the-clock protests
led by Ter-Petrosian in downtown Yerevan. Police have called on the
campaign to disband, but, so far, no force has been used to take down
tents set up in front of the Opera House or to block daily marches
past the prime minister?s office.
A pro-Sarkisian public rally is planned to take place on Tuesday in
Republic Square at the same time as Ter-Petrosian?s protest a few
hundred meters away. Public television has broadcast reports from the
regions showing voters who ?want to defend their [pro-Sarkisian]
votes.? The prospect has raised worries about possible clashes
between supporters of the two sides.
Those worries have been fed by a string of arrests following Deputy
Prosecutor General Gagik Jhangirian?s February 22 announcement that
he had joined the protest movement. [For details, see the Armenia:
Vote 2008 news archive].
Hours after shaking hands with Ter-Petrosian and addressing
demonstrators, Jhangirian, his brother, Vardan, and two other
individuals, according to police, were arrested under suspicion of
being illegally armed and intending to ?destabiliz[e] the situation
in the capital city.? On February 23, Jhangirian was removed from his
post for publicizing his political preferences, a move banned by law,
officials say.
Under a similar scenario, Hanrapetutiun (Republic) Party political
council member, and former Minister of State Revenues Smbat Aivazian
was arrested on February 24. New Times Party leader Aram Karapetian,
who voiced his support for Ter-Petrosian days before the election,
was also arrested under suspicion of making false accusations against
Prime Minister Sarkisian and President Robert Kocharian, a criminal
offense under Armenian law.
On February 24, bodyguards working for Ter-Petrosian supporter
Khachatur Sukiasian, a prominent businessman and parliamentarian,
were arrested after politce allegedly found guns, a bullet-proof
jacket, knife and wireless device, among other equipment, in three
cars belonging to Sukiasian.
The arrests continued on February 25, with the Special Investigative
Service?s detention of Petros Makeian, head of the Democratic
Homeland Party, a miniscule opposition party that also backs
Ter-Petrosian. The Prosecutor-General?s Office states that Makeian is
?suspected of obstructing the work of the [election] commission at
polling station 34/06,? in Gyumri, where Makeian worked as a proxy
for Ter-Petrosian.
The detentions roughly coincided with a February 23 meeting between
President Robert Kocharian and senior army and police officials. ?I
will never allow anyone ever to jeopardize [our] domestic political
stability. I am determined to take all measures to keep law and order
in the country,? Kocharian stated in comments broadcast by television
stations.
?These are measures by which they?re trying to put pressure on
people,? Hanrapetutiun Party political council member Suren
Sureniants commented to EurasiaNet. The party has since indicated
that Sureniants has been detained by police, according to the
pro-opposition A1 Plus website, although no further details have been
released. Police were not available for comment.
An attempt was reportedly also made to disarm Ter-Petrosian?s
bodyguards at the protest rally in front of the Opera on Monday
night, and to summon rally organizer and journalist Nikol Pashinian
to the police, Ter-Petrosian spokesperson Arman Musinian said. Police
could not be reached to verify these claims.
But while the opposition has cast the arrests as the start of a
political witch hunt, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia
maintains that the measures are intended to maintain law and order.
?There can be no discussion about political revenge or an atmosphere
of fear here,? commented Republican Party spokesperson Eduard
Sharmazanov. ?All this relates to the legal field. These are legal
issues that will be solved within the framework of the law. And as a
rule-of-law country we will encourage any such action. There were
elections that passed very well and any encroachment on our people is
condemnable.?
Meanwhile, some diplomats have taken a counter-tact to the
government?s position. On February 23, Deputy Foreign Minister Armen
Baiburdian, Armenia?s ambassador to Italy, Spain and Portugal Ruben
Shugarian, the ambassador to Kazakhstan Levon Khachatrian, and the
ambassador to Ukraine and Moldova Razmik Khumarian announced their
support for Ter-Petrosian.
In a statement, the group called on ?representatives of all
structures in charge of preserving peace and public order in the
country, to resist the temptation of solving problems with the use of
force.?
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian, pointing out that law does
not allow diplomats to hold political allegiances, said that he
signed the orders to relieve the envoys and deputy foreign minister
>From their posts without penalty. He added that the five were either
relatives of former senior officials under Ter-Petrosian or had held
positions under the ex-president.
Independent political analyst Yervand Bozoian, however, notes that
the recent defections to the Ter-Petrosian movement suggest that
divisions exist within the government about the election results.
?It is difficult to predict what consequences this will have.
However, the cracks may become broader because of such switchovers
and lead to big problems,? Bozoian said
Ter-Petrosian has also claimed to have the support of two deputy
defense ministers, though the two have yet to second his claim in
public.
The ruling Republican Party, though, rejects Bozoian?s prognosis.
Such pledges of allegiance ?can be controlled,? noted party
spokesperson Sharmazanov.
But, he asserted, ?[t]he river Arax [in Armenia, Iran, Turkey and
Azerbaijan] will sooner change its bed than cracks will appear inside
the government.?
Editor’s Note: Marianna Grigoryan is a reporter for the
ArmeniaNow.com weekly in Yerevan.