PARLIAMENT CONFIRMS STATE OF EMERGENCY, HEALTH AUTHORITIES CONFIRM DEATH OF 8 PEOPLE KILLED IN CLASHES
ARMENPRESS
March 2, 2008
YEREVAN, MARCH 2, ARMENPRESS: The Armenia parliament convened an
extraordinary session in the early hours of today’s morning to confirm
the state of emergency declared by president Robert Kocharian yesterday
evening following clashes between police and supporters of opposition
presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian.
In a related news the police condemned in a statement mass unlawful
actions and looting by some of uncontrolled protesters.
It said for hours small and big groups of robbers split from the 7,000-
strong crowd of protesters to set fires to over 20 personal and police
vehicles, even ambulances, they smashed buses and trolley-buses.
They also looted the Moscow House and nearby shops and offices, broke
windows of the municipality and ViVaCell mobile phone provider’s head
office. The statement said drunk robbers attacked then police officers
and interior troops. It said 33 interior troops were hospitalized,
11 with missile wounds, 13 with different traumas, and 8 others were
affected by poisons.
According to the health ministry, eight people were killed in the
clash. It said prosecutors are investigating circumstances of their
death.
The police statement said only after president Kocharian imposed the
state of emergency the rioters dispersed under the pressure of police,
National Security Service officers and army troops.
The statement said the law-enforcement authorities are working to
identify the organizers, to track them down and call to responsibility.
The police called on citizens to display maximum restraint and
vigilance, to respect the requirement of the state of emergency,
assist law-enforcement bodies to eliminate the consequences of massive
unlawful actions.
Law-enforcement authorities also said they have already detained 15
persons suspected of masterminding the March 1 unrest in downtown
Yerevan. A special investigative service of the Office of the
Prosecutor-General are continuing to take measures to clarify all
circumstances of the riot and trace down all people responsible for
attacking law-enforcement officers.