ARMENIA CAPITAL CLASHES KILL EIGHT
Radio Netherlands
March 2 2008
Netherlands
Yerevan – Clashes in the Armenian capital Yerevan have left eight
people dead. It is not clear whether the victims were protesters or
policemen. Dozens were injured.
Riot police used force to disperse 1,500 protesters who had been
camping on Yerevan’s Freedom Square for ten days. Most of them left
after an appeal from opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian, who has
been placed under house arrest.
On Saturday, the authorities declared a state of emergency to bring
an end to the protests against the result of January’s presidential
election. The opposition claims the poll was rigged in favour of
Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, who won an absolute majority. Mr
Ter-Petrosian came in second place.