Armenia commemorates the victims of the 1 March 2008 tragic events in Yerevan. On this day six years ago the post-electoral processes developed into unrest in Yerevan.
The 19 Feb 2008 presidential election won by Serzh Sargsyan was followed by mass protests of the supporters of the first President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who also ran for president in 2008. Ter-Petrosyan's supporters disagreed with the election results and qualified them as rigged. On 1 March 2008 the rallies developed into clashes between the demonstrators and the law-enforcers killing 10 and injuring more than 200, including law-enforcers.
Today, the Armenian National Congress (ANC) Party headed by Levon Ter-Petrosyan is going to hold a rally in Yerevan. Heritage Party led by Raffi Hovannisian will join them. Some representatives of the Prosperous Armenia Party, as well as Artsakh war veterans and a number of civil initiatives have also expressed their intention to take part in the rally.
The area adjacent to the Myasnikyan monument, where the main 1 March 2008 events occurred, has been crowded since early morning. Numerous citizens have already laid flowers at the monument, among them Preparliament representatives Zhirayr Sefilyan, Tigran Khzmalyan, "For the Support of Maidan" movement initiator David Shahnazaryan, Head of Asbarez Club Levon Barseghyan and human rights activist Artur Sakunts.