State of emergency over in Armenia

Malaysia Sun, Malaysia
March 22 2008

State of emergency over in Armenia

Malaysia Sun
Friday 21st March, 2008

Armenia has ended the state of emergency introduced after protests
against the result of the presidential election.

At the beginning of the month, riot police used heavy-handed tactics
to disperse demonstrators. The opposition accused the government of
electoral fraud, after the former Prime Minister Serzh Sarkasian won
an absolute majority.

Outgoing President Robert Kocharian says there is no need for the
state of emergency to remain in place.

A ban on demonstrations, however, will stay in force.