COUNCIL OF EUROPE CALLS ON ARMENIA TO JUSTIFY STATE OF EMERGENCY
Agence France Presse
March 2, 2008 Sunday
The head of the Council of Europe on Sunday called on Armenia’s
government to justify its state of emergency declaration amid violent
protests that have left eight dead.
The secretary general of the democracy and rights watchdog, Terry
Davis, said the government was required under the European Convention
on Human Rights to "inform me of the measures it has taken and the
reasons" for it.
"I expect that they will do so without any delay," Davis said in a
statement issued by the institution, which has 47 member countries
including Armenia since 2001.
He also said the government should "review the justification for
the restrictions imposed especially on media, political parties and
non-governmental organisations."
Such measures were an "obstacle to political dialogue," he said.
Tanks and troops patrolled the Armenian capital Yerevan on Sunday
after eight people were killed and dozens injured during violent
protests against the result of the February 19 presidential election.
Authorities imposed a state of emergency late Saturday following
clashes between riot police and protesters. Europe’s top security
watchdog said Sunday it was sending an envoy to promote talks between
the authorities and opposition.
The runner-up in the election, opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian,
said he had been placed under house arrest, although the government
denied this. Davis had previously called for Ter-Petrosian to be
freed immediately.