In his meeting with journalists early this evening Minister of Foreign Affairs Vardan Oskanian disputed reports that oppositionist and first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan is under “house arrest”.

Oskanian said that, as a former president, Ter-Petrosyan is guaranteed state protection during emergency situations and that officers around his home were there in that capacity.

According to Oskanian, Ter-Petrosyan had been offered a document stating his approval to release the security detachment, but had refused to sign it.

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In an apparent show of support to oppositionists in Yerevan, residents have also taken to streets in Gyumri.

By 7 p.m. a crowd estimated at about 3,000 had gathered in Theater Square. No police was present at the rally as most had been dispatched to Yerevan, some 75 miles south.