ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES STATE OF EMERGENCY
Xinhua
March 2 2008
China
MOSCOW, March 2 (Xinhua) — Armenia’s parliament on Sunday approved a
presidential decree introducing a state of emergency in the Caucasus
nation after police crackdown on street protests.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian on Saturday introduced a 20-day
state of emergency in the capital Yerevan, banning rallies and protest.
Opposition supporters have been rallying in Yerevan to protest the
Feb. 19 presidential election, in which Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan
won with 52.8 percent of the vote.
The opposition led by Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who got 21.5 percent of
the vote, claimed the vote was rigged and demanded a repeat vote.
Police dispersed an unsanctioned rally in downtown Yerevan on
Saturday. More than 30 people, including six policemen, were injured
during the police operation, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
The government has moved troops to the capital, Itar-Tass said.