BBC: Armenian Leader Warns Protesters

Matthew Collin reports for the BBC on the latest development in the post-election situation in Armenia following last week’s presidential vote.

In particular, the news item focuses on the outgoing president’s threat to use force against protesters and the rally held yesterday by female supporters of the former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian.

On Saturday around 50,000 people held the biggest demonstration against the election result so far despite having no official permission to do so.

The demonstrators have set up a tent camp in Yerevan’s Freedom Square, they say they will stay there until the authorities back down.

Also on Saturday, thousands of Armenian women stood face to face with a line of riot police chanting the name of the opposition leader they believe was the real winner of this week’s elections, Levon Ter-Petrosian.

The women had marched through the streets of the capital bringing traffic to a standstill.

“The people wont remain silent about this authoritarian regime,” one of the women said, “we believe they have no right to be in power”.

The outgoing President, Robert Kocharian, says he views actions like these as an attempt to seize power.

He says the government’s response would be decisive and firm to maintain stability and order.

Photo: © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008