Thursday, March 1 2018 19:25

ArmInfo. Armenian National Congress holds action in the Freedom Square dedicated to the March 1 2008 events. There are few people in the Square. Elk bloc members headed by Nicol Pashinyan and Heritage Party chairman participate in the action.

ANC Deputy Chairman Aram Manukyan speaking to the action participants, said: This tragedy will continue for a long time if we do not stand for our rights until we bring to justice all those guilty who enjoy life today. We must do this in cooperation with international structures. Manukyan said, stressing that the authorities "killed" the spirit of resistance of the people by repression and pressure. "But we must restore this spirit," the oppositionist concluded.

The relatives of the deceased, speaking at the rally, expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that crimes of ten years ago have not yet been uncovered. "What our authorities differ from those who organized the slaughter of Armenians in Sumgait," they asked. The parents of the victims also expressed their dissatisfaction with the slowness of the European Court of Human Rights, which has not started the process for 7 years.

Another deputy chairman of the ANC Levon Zurabyan told the audience about the secret correspondence between the temporary charge d'affaires of the US in Armenia, Joseph Pennington, made public by Wikielix. According to Zurabyan, in correspondence, in particular, it is noted that Pennington was secretly visited by one of the members of the Constitutional Court of Armenia, telling that initially 7 out of 9 members of the Constitutional Court wanted to vote for review of the results of the 2008 presidential elections. However, they were assisted by the assistant to the second president Robert Kocharian, Armen Gevorgyan, and, threatening, forced to reconsider his decision. The authorities, realizing that they lost in the political struggle, started violent actions. "Summarizing, we can say that in March 2008, power was usurped in Armenia, it is the tragedy of a whole nation," Zurabyan said. According to him, these events caused the mass migration, economic stagnation, total corruption in the country. "But we must return the stolen power to the people," the oppositionist said. The protesters marched to Myasnikyan Avenue, where on March 1, 2008, a tragedy took place.

Protest rallies against the results of the presidential elections of 2008, on which the victory was won by Serzh Sargsyan, on March 1 resulted in a large-scale tragedy. Then, in a clash of law enforcement forces and protesters, 10 people were killed. The investigation is still ongoing.