57  01.03.14 - ANC: Rally dedicated to March 1, 2008 events

Rally in Yerevan: March 1 events, gas, pensions, "call to arms"

Rally in Yerevan: March 1 events, gas, pensions,

PanARMENIAN.Net - Yerevan’s Liberty Square hosted a rally of Armenian National Congress (ANC) and Armenian People's Party dedicated to tragic events of March 1, 2008 resulting in the deaths of 10 during anti-government clashes.

“All the victims died trying to protect their right for peace, dignity, country-building,” ANC member Aram Manukyan said at the onset of the rally.

He next read out the names of the ten victims, followed by a minute of silence.

Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian and his spouse are among those attending the rally, Panorama.am reported.

The rally participants further collected signatures calling to liberate political prisoners. Protest against recent governmental policies, including gas price hike and mandatory cumulative pension was voiced, with urges to rise against the leadership.

From February 20, 2008, the Armenian opposition led by first president Levon Ter-Petrossian, who ran for presidency in 2008, but was not elected, held rallies in the central part of Yerevan, protesting against the election results.

The protest actions resulted in unrest and clashes between the police and rally participants on March 1-2. According to the Office of RA Prosecutor General, around 200 people were injured, 10 people were killed, and over 100 people were arrested.

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