Слава богу, у нас такие же протесты закончились доволно мирно...
Огнестрелное оружее не испозовалось, только резиновые пули и гас... Никто не был ранен...
State of emergency imposed in Armenia
03.03.08 11:50 Rustavi 2
Report crew of the Rustavi2 broadcasting company managed to provide the head office with the exclusive video taken in the streets of Yerevan after Armenia's President imposed a sweeping state of Emergency late on Saturday. It occurred on the following a day of violence between police and demonstrators protesting alleged fraud in the recent presidential election.
Georgian reporters managed to transmit the video only via internet as the state of emergency imposes severe restrictions, including banning all mass gatherings and ordering that news media reports on domestic political matters include only official information
The announcement by President Robert Kocharian came shortly after police fired in the air and let off tear gas to break up a gathering of about 15-thousand protesters. Earlier on Saturday, police forcibly broke up a protesters' tent camp housing hundreds of people. Witnesses said they had seen demonstrators injured in the night-time police action, but there was no immediate official information on civilian casualties.
Kocharian said eight police were injured and the city police department said some of the injuries were serious. The health ministry said at least 31 people, including six police officers, had sought treatment after the morning troubles. At least 55 people were detained during the day's unrest, said a spokeswoman for the prosecutor-general's office.
Kocharian said the state of emergency would remain in effect for 20 days. The order also says police have the right to restrict movement and to search private and public vehicles. City residents said that tensions remained high in parts of Yerevan as midnight approached, with groups of angry young people prowling the streets, calling for people to join them and occasionally breaking windows.
Thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of protesters have rallied daily since the February 19 election, in which Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian was declared the winner. Sarkisian is a close colleague of Kocharian, who is stepping down because the constitution does not permit him to seek a third term. Opponents allege the government manipulated the vote count.
