Rumors that between six and ten people were killed in Armenia that I published yesterday came to be true, as Armenia’s police confirm that eight people have died in the clashes between presidential election protesters and the riot police.
Image: An Armenian riot policeman examines the remains of a burnt-out vehcile in Yerevan. Tanks and troops patrolled the Armenian capital after eight people were killed and dozens injured during violent protests against the result of the presidential election. (AFP/karen minasyan)
At least eight people were killed and hundreds of others injured in the violent standoff between security forces and thousands of opposition protesters in Yerevan that ended early Sunday following a state of emergency declared by President Robert Kocharian.
The Armenian police reported the death toll, citing information received from the Ministry of Health. A police statement issued early in the morning did not identify any of the victims, suggesting that all of them were protesters.
Five of them were identified by Armenia’s Office of the Prosecutor-General later in the day.
The law-enforcement agency said it is investigating the circumstances of their deaths. It added that 33 police officers and interior troops were hospitalized from the scene of the opposition protest with various injuries. Health Minister Harutiun Kushkian put the total number of people treated in hospitals on Saturday at 230.
Image: Protesters near burning police cars in central Yerevan March 2, 2008. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan declared a state of emergency in the capital on Saturday and vowed to deploy troops against opposition protesters after riots in which at least one person died. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili
Image: Demonstrators hold in place a body as it is transported on the roof of a car in Yerevan in this March 1, 2008 video grab. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan declared a state of emergency in the capital on Saturday as riot police battled opposition protesters, in which at least one person was killed. Source: REUTERS/Reuters TV
Image: Riot police officers stand line in central Yerevan March 2, 2008. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan declared a state of emergency in the capital on Saturday and vowed to deploy troops against opposition protesters after riots in which at least one person died.REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili
Image: Armoured vehicles of the Armenian army take position in central Yerevan March 2, 2008. Armenia’s opposition ended a standoff with riot police in the capital Yerevan on Sunday after the government declared a state of emergency and mobilised the army in response to the worst unrest in a decade. Source: REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili
Presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s March 2, 2008 announcement of ending the street protests in Yerevan, posted at his website, blames government “agents” for rioting and looting on the night of March 1, 2008.
The announcement, posted in Armenian, states:
[…]
The authorities’ provocations were continued by their agents who – being quite far from the [actual] protest – broke windows of stores, looted some shops and damaged cars on Mashtots Avenue.
Armenia Liberty, among others, informs that the presidential protests have ended in Armenia largely due to opposition leader and former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s call to his followers to leave. So, despite expectations of violence, this seems to be a good end for the time being. The opposition, nonetheless, says it will continue its fight.
The standoff between Armenian security forces and thousands of opposition protesters appeared to have ended without further violence early Sunday after opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian urged his supporters to go home, citing a state of emergency imposed by President Robert Kocharian.
“I do not want any victims and clashes between police and innocent people. That is why I am asking you to leave,” Ter-Petrosian said in a message read out to more than 2,000 people that barricaded themselves outside the Yerevan mayor’s office.
According to Reuters news agency, most of the crowd headed away from the square but a group of around 60 people refused to go home and set fire to abandoned police vehicles. Some of them accused the former Armenian president of being a traitor.
“We will continue our political struggle for democracy and rule of law,” Ter-Petrosian’s election campaign office said in a separate statement. An official there said riot police did not attack the dispersing crowd or arrest any of the former president’s associates who organized the rally on Saturday.
[…]
In a separate address to the nation, Kocharian said the violence was the main reason why he decided to declare the 20-day emergency rule. It means, among other things, that all rallies and other public gatherings will be banned in Yerevan until March 20. It also places serious restrictions on press freedom, with local media outlets allowed to report only official news communiqués.
While I have myself started a petition calling on Armenia’s authorities to end violence against presidential election protesters, I am not too comfortable with what the Armenian Civil Society is doing. I think the organization is contributing to the polarization in Armenia by asking the U.S. Congress to condemn the events. Moreover, characterizing Armenia’s authority as a “repressive regime” demonstrates lack of knowledge and understanding of political establishments on the part of the LA group. Armenia’s government is authoritarian but, relatively speaking, it is not repressive. In fact, although rumors of police brutality are most likely true in all details a repressive regime would have used other means to defend the establishment.
Anyhow, if you agree with the Armenian Civil Society you may call your Congressman. But I believe Armenia first needs social and not political reforms because the problems embedded in the latter often reflect the unaddressed issues of the former. One example is the extreme polarization and accusations drawn from xenophobic sentiments against demonized enemies.
A1Plus is not the only media outlet that has stopped reporting the ongoing presidential election protests in Armenia due to de jure state of emergency. Websites that were updated several times an hour are now silent complying with Armenia’s Constitution that gives censorship rights to the government when the latter declares state of emergency.
Hetq.am, a website of investigative journalists that I occasionally contribute to, informs (in Armenian) that they “have to limit their work” under the law while ArmeniaNow, a source widely seen as among the most objective, has stopped updating its homepage without even reporting the State of Emergency.
Armenian blogs have become somewhat passive too in the last few hours but it is too early to conclude that they perceive their activities to be limited under the law.
At least one pro-opposition media in Armenia now says it will stop reporting political news for the next 20 days due to the declared state of emergency. The website of A1Plus, a news group that is long banned from Armenia’s air, informs its readers that under Armenia’s law it won’t report political developments.
State of emergency is declared in Armenia, and, under such circumstances and according to the law, it is prohibited to provide information on the political situation and developments. The state of emergency will last for 20 days; during this time you can read cultural, sports and official [political] news [provided by the authorities]. We are asking for your forgiveness.
As I mentioned earlier today, the declaration limits political reporting to copy-pasting of official releases – raising the question of whether blogs based in Armenia fall under the ban. Technically, Armenian websites and blogs outside Yerevan may operate freely but almost every major media outlet is based in the capital city – including all the blogs I know from Armenia. I guess my fellow bloggers in Armenia should either relocate to another region from Yerevan for a few days or send their posts to bloggers abroad (like me) for publishing.
I will be glad to provide that service and guarantee anonymity – if requested. The constitution doesn’t prohibit individuals from sharing information with others. This blog’s e-mail is [email protected].
It is 25 minutes after noon in Armenia (March 1, 2008) and 1:00 at night in Colorado but I had to wake up and write this. Although I did read about the “cleaning up” of the protesters who had occupied the Liberty Square some of my friends from Yerevan sent me several text messages telling that Armenia’s authorities are using brutal methods to fight protesters who disagree with last week’s presidential election results . I am talking to some friends on Yahoo messenger and also writing this at the same time.
One friend is saying that the police are at this minute beating up the protesters and many have found refuge in foreign embassies, especially at the French embassy building.
A1Plus, a banned TV station, has posted a short video on the ongoing battle about 50 minutes ago:
In an e-mail addressed to an online group, an aquintance sent from Armenia the following minutes ago:
At about 7 am on March 1 the police and internal force dispersed the protest meeting at the Square of Freedom lasting for the tenth day which was initiated by Levon Ter-Petrosyan and his supporters who disputed the result of the vote.
Regnum reports that at the time when the meeting was dispersed the first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan was at the square who, according to the news agency, urged several thousand people at the Square not to resist to the police.
Witnesses said the police used truncheons and other special means, and the operation lasted for 10-15 minutes. Now the police and the internal forces have blocked the city center. Regnum reports that the police gathered the tents in which the protestors spent the night. Regnum reports traces of blood are seen in the square.
***
In the morning of March 1 Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s office issued a press release concerning the police action on the peaceful protestors.
“Today in the morning of 7.30 about 5 thousand policemen were deployed at the Square of Freedom who dispersed peace protestors. The police force led by the chief of Robert Kocharyan’s security tried to arrest the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan. Levon Ter-Petrosyan demanded to show the warrant, which they did not do. At the moment Levon Ter-Petrosyan is at the Square of Freedom surrounded by policemen. Some members of Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s team are missing. Levon Ter-Petrosyan stated that they will try to continue the protest meeting at 3 pm,” runs the release.
***
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s office reports that on March 1, at 3 pm the protest will continue which was dispersed by the police force in the morning of the same day.
The rally of protest is foreseen to continue at the Square of Freedom , which is now surrounded by the police force. If it is impossible to hold the rally at the Square of Freedom , the rally will take place in North Avenue , if not, at the Square of Republic .
We have learned that Levon Ter-Petrosyan has been taken home from the Square of Freedom . There is no information about members of LevonTer-Petrosyan’s team who have been arrested.
The friend who woke me up says there is another protest growing up for 3:00 p.m. in Yerevan (in less than three hours).
It is quite funny and somewhat ironic, but the nationalist ARF or Dashnak party is introducing democracy in Armenia through very creative and unique ways.
According to this contract, the presidential candidate promises to make social changes, maintain political stability, contribute to the unification of Armenians in the homeland, establish social solidarity, ensure free elections.
Everybody that reads and signs the agreement will receive a small card with the picture of Vahan Hovhannisyan and will join the movement “I am with Vahan”. […]
[…]
I have also heard rumours, that ARF are planning yet another major PR event, specifically targeting young people – Serj Tankian, the lead vocalist, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative metal band System of a Down, will hold a concert in Yerevan in support of ARF-Dashnaktsutyun candidate.
I don’t think I’d vote for the ARF candidate if I lived in Armenia (in fact, I might boycott the elections), but I can’t hide my support for the healthy campaign they have been doing so far for the 2008 elections. They are clearly introducing a culture of fair and fun politics in Armenia which supports the democratization and builds general trust for elections.
Despite many dark aspects of the ARF history, I think they are making history today by creating a culture of transparency and trust through simple campaign strategies.
And it is not all about gaining power this time, it seems ARF is delivering a Ralph-Nader-kind of message.
