YEREVAN (AFP) — Several thousand opposition supporters rallied Friday in the Armenian capital Yerevan to call for a series of anti-government protests.
Up to 7,000 opposition supporters were seen in the centre of Yerevan by an AFP reporter. Organisers said 50,000 had participated.
Protesters called for the results of a February presidential election won by former prime minister Serzh Sarkisian to be annulled, alleging the vote was rigged, and chanted "Levon for president" in reference to opposition leader and former president Levon Ter-Petrosian.
"We demand that the authorities release political prisoners, punish those guilty of tragic events on March 1, guarantee freedom of speech, media, assembly," Ter-Petrosian told the crowd.
The opposition leader said that his supporters intended a "maximum mobilisation of society to prepare for the most important meeting on August 1, when we will voice the results of Sarkisian's first 100 days."
The opposition would hold pickets and rallies, as well as sit-in protests, throughout July, he added.
Police had earlier warned protesters to stay out of the city centre, saying they only had permission to rally on the outskirts of Yerevan. However, after a first brief confrontation, the police allowed protesters into downtown Yerevan.
Last month, Armenia eased restrictions on public demonstrations imposed after the March clashes, meeting a demand from the Council of Europe. It also created a parliamentary commission to investigate the violence.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has also called for the release of political opponents arrested after the violence and increased dialogue between the government and opposition. It is due to hold a debate next week on Armenia's compliance with its demands.
The violence in March broke out after police moved in to clear thousands of protesters who had rallied for 11 days to protest Sarkisian's victory over Ter-Petrosian in the February 19 presidential election.
A mountainous country of about three million people, Armenia has experienced repeated political violence since gaining its independence with the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
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