GOVERNMENT SIGNALS BAN ON TER-PETROSIAN RALLIES

President Robert Kocharian on Tuesday signed into a law a parliament bill that will make it easier for the Armenian authorities to ban fresh anti-government demonstrations planned by opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian. The measure, rejected as unconstitutional by Ter-Petrosian, took the form of amendments to Armenia’s law on public gatherings that were enacted at an emergency session of the National Assembly late on Monday. The law has until now allowed authorities to ban those demonstrations which they believe are aimed, among other things, at a “violent overthrow of constitutional order.” One of the amendments overwhelmingly adopted by the parliament complements the clause with cases where authorities have “reliable information” that street protests would pose a threat to “state security, public order, public health and morality.” Any such information coming from the Armenian police and the National Security Service (NSS) will be automatically deemed “reliable.” Another, more significant, amendment allows the authorities to “temporarily” ban rallies for an unspecified period of time after street gatherings resulting in casualties. The ban shall remain in force until the end of the official investigation into a particular case of deadly street violence. Leaders of the parliament majority loyal to Kocharian and his incoming successor, Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, did not deny that the restrictions are specifically aimed at preventing Ter-Petrosian from again rallying supporters after the anticipated lifting of the state of emergency in Yerevan on Friday. The state of emergency was imposed by Kocharian on March 1 following the outbreak of violent clashes between security forces and thousands of Ter-Petrosian supporters demanding a re-run of last month’s disputed presidential election. At least seven protesters and one security officer were killed in the clashes. According to Armen Ashotian, a parliament deputy from Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK), the law was amended in order to “limit and prevent more illegalities that could lead to a loss of life” after the end of emergency rule. He defended the resulting restrictions on Armenians’ civil rights. “The law may be limiting the interests of 100,000 people, but it will protect the life and the rights of 3.5 million other citizens,” Ashotian told RFE/RL. Similar arguments were made by other HHK lawmakers as well as the parliamentary leaders of the Prosperous Armenia, Dashnaktsutyun and Orinats Yerkir parties during the late-night parliament debates. Only members of Zharangutyun, the sole opposition party represented in the parliament, and independent lawmaker Victor Dallakian voted against the legislation. Ter-Petrosian’s office said on Tuesday that the enacted amendments “blatantly violate” Armenians’ constitutionally guaranteed freedom of assembly and can therefore be ignored by citizens. “In these circumstances, it is the people’s legitimate right to ignore the illegal ban and reaffirm their freedom to hold rallies which is guaranteed by the constitution and international law,” it said in a statement. “In reality, this is an attempt to perpetuate the state of emergency,” Levon Zurabian, an aide to Ter-Petrosian, told RFE/RL. “A regime which attacked peaceful demonstrators and whose illegal actions left many people dead is using its own crime as a pretext to restrict our people’s right to hold peaceful rallies.” “This shows that the authorities are terrified by the existing situation and that they admit having no popular support,” he said. Asked whether Ter-Petrosian and his allies are ready to hold more unsanctioned rallies and risk another confrontation with the police, Zurabian said, “We will find a way of getting around these dictatorial restrictions and organizing rallies.” He did not elaborate. (Photolur photo: Ter-Petrosian supporters pictured during their last protest in Yerevan.)

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Discussion

128 days before | remove (4) | reply
Albert wrote:
The fascist and criminal regime of Robert and Serj has decided to further persecute and torture the Armenian Nation.
We Armenians, have a responsibility to show the whole World that Robert and Serj and not only universal criminals but also enemies of the Armenian Nation.
128 days before | remove (5) | reply
SEDO wrote:
Nobody has the right to judge anyone in the name of "Armenians". If U have an idea speak for yourself. The "World" has it's own problems and has no time to look to what U "Show"... If those guys are indeed "Enemies of the Armenian Nation", than LTP was an idiot to place them there so what's the use to replace one no good with the other???
127 days before | remove (5) | reply
Levon wrote:
- SEDO
  Nobody has the right to judge anyone in the name of "Armenians". If U have an idea speak for yourself. The "World" has it's own problems and has no time to look to what U "Show"... If those guys are indeed "Enemies of the Armenian Nation", than LTP was an idiot to place them there so what's the use to replace one no good with the other???
And you stop telling me what I have to say or not.
If you like to be able to tell people what to say or not just go and live in Armenia and work for Serj and Robert whom you seem to appreciate so much. There you will get a chance to practice intolerance like you do.
And if people piss you off, you can even shoot and kill them again.
126 days before | remove (5) | reply
What a shame! wrote:
What a premitive childish governement, as if there are no problems to solve they are trying to protect their own sking, all the laws being accepted for their own protections against the crimes THEY committed, what a shame, irony as if you do not no know to cry or laugh!
If Levon is banned I am sure the people will find another Levon to follow and protest, don't they have enough sense and brains to think what they are doing and where they are heading?
The heroes who died on 1st/2nd march, should be buried in one day to show them what they did, it is not a meeting is it?
124 days before | remove (5) | reply
Baffled wrote:
My God it is so ironic to hear that before the S.ofE. ends the government passed a law to ban meetings, now I think they will work on a law to legalize killings and lootings done by them!

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Headlines for March 18, 2008

GOVERNMENT SIGNALS BAN ON TER-PETROSIAN RALLIES
5
President Robert Kocharian on Tuesday signed into a law a parliament bill that will make it easier for the Armenian authorities to ban fresh anti-government demonstrations planned by opposition leader ...
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