In Armenia, policemen clash with members of youth organizations

On February 19, at about 3 p.m. local time, in the centre of Yerevan, the building of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), policemen attacked participants of a protest action, in particular, members of youth organizations.

The protest action dated to one anniversary of the presidential election was organized by about five hundred young people aged 17-20 years, representing the youth organizations-members of the Armenian National Congress (ANC). In particular, the organizations named "Special Regiment", Youth Wing of the Armenian National Movement and "Khima" (Now).

The protesters cried out: "Serzh, go away!" and tried to approach closer to the CEC building, however, faced a cordon of policemen, who pushed the young people away from the CEC building into the adjacent Kotyuna Street, where the central office of the ANC is located.

Colonel Ruben Melkonyan, head of the patrol-sentry service, who commanded the policemen, told journalists that it was a non-sanctioned march. "They behaved impudently to the President, abused him, and we can't admit insults of the President," said Mr Melkonyan.

Zarui Postnadzhan, Deputy of the National Assembly from the "Heritage" faction, and Aram Manukyan, representative of the Board of the Armenian National Movement, who accompanied the march, have expressed their indignation with the actions of the police.

"I saw aggressive policemen's behaviour; they attacked young people who held a peaceful protest action. Colonel Melkonyan took away Armenian flags from boys and girls and tore them into pieces, same with the posters," Ms Postnadzhan told journalists.

See earlier reports: "Armenian MoD: the army dispersed oppositional demonstration under President's personal order," ""Aikakan Zhamanak" names hunters on demonstrators in Yerevan on March 1, 2008," "PACE co-rapporteurs call on Armenian authorities not to prevent opposition to rally."