RFE/RL: Illegal Rally Broken Up, Ter-Petrossian Under House Arrest, Opposition Leaders in Hiding

RFE/RL has more on this morning’s dispersal of an illegal round the clock rally held in Yerevan’s Liberty Square staged by the supporters of former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, disputing the outcome of the 19 February presidential election in Armenia. The reports says that Ter-Petrossian is under house arrest and that other opposition leaders have been detained or gone into hiding.

According to eyewitnesses, scores of police, interior troops and other security forces surrounded the square at around 7 a.m. and began dispersing the small crowd, using truncheons, tear gas and electric-shock equipment. Dozens of demonstrators and security officers were said to have been injured in the violent scene which apparently lasted for about 30 minutes.

There were unconfirmed reports of mass arrests of opposition leaders and activists. Some leaders apparently went into hiding

Ter-Petrosian his bodyguards remained in the square flooded riot police as of 8 a.m., “I am now arrested,” he told RFE/RL. “My freedom is restricted.”

“They want me to go but I told them that I won’t leave this square unless they handcuff me and show an arrest warrant,” he said.