The end of previous week was full of various unexpected events and developments.
Here we present the brief summary of these developments.

The deputy minister of Foreign Affairs of RA, Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary Armen Bayburdyan, the Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to Italy, Spain and Portugal Ruben Shugaryan, the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Kazakhstan and Kirgiz Republic Levon
Khachatryan, Armenia’s Envoy Extraordinary to Moldova and Ukraine Razmik
Khumaryan declared:

“We, the undersigned, abiding by the honorary title of Armenian diplomat, being
guided by the feeling of responsibility to the Republic of Armenia and Armenian
people, being concerned by the situation created in Armenia, holding in high
respect the voting right of Armenian citizens, being convinced that only a
president elected through fair and free elections can stand the best all the
challenges facing our country on international arena and to raise essentially
our compatriots struggling for the establishment of real democracy of Armenia;

Realizing importance of preserving stability and necessity of public concord, we
call our compatriots and particularly the representatives of all structures
responsible for maintaining public order and peace in the country to resist
temptation of solving problems by force,

We call Armenian TV-companies and particularly H1 to provide unbiased and
many-sided coverage and opportunity of live broadcast for the representatives of
all forces taking constructive stands regarding overcoming the present domestic
crisis;

We call all our partners working both in Armenia and abroad to join our
declaration.”

A day later Chief Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Karapetyan, head of the UN
Division of International Organizations Department Varsenik Baghdasaryan, the
head of America and Canada Division Karine Afrikyan, the head of NATO Division
of FM Department on Arsenal and Security Marta Ayvazyan, Advisor to European
Department Arakel Semerjyan and secretary of South American Section of American
Division Elen Peteyan have joined the declaration. All of them were dismissed;
some of them, by the presidential decree of Robert Kocharyan were stripped of
their diplomatic ranks.

On February 24, at about 03:30 PM, in Erebouni street (near the “Universam”),
according to eye-witnesses, a group of masked men in cars with State Security
Service plate numbers kidnapped the “Nor Zhamanakner” party leader Aram
Karapetyan and his attendants and took them in an unknown direction. During the
kidnapping the masked men batoned the bodyguards of Aram Karapetyan, the
headquarters of Levon Ter-Petrossian inform. The NSS officially informed that
Aram Karapetyan was detained. The same day, at about 08:15 PM, in Nar-Dos street
were detained the bodyguards accompanying the head of Levon Ter-Petrossian’s
Yerevan city campaign headquarters Khachatur Sukiassyan and taken to an unknown
direction. This is according the report of Levon Ter-Petrossian campaign
headquarters.

A day before, by night, a search has been conducted in the house of the leader
of “Zhoghovrdakan Hayrenik” party Petros Makeyan, supporting Levon
Ter-Petrossian. According to the president of “Forum” legal center Tigran
Ter-Yesayan, who was present at the search, it was made upon the court decision,
based on the article 149 of the Criminal Code, according to which Makeyan was
accused in impeding and hindering the work of the Electoral Committee.

According to the police, a report was received by the Central Department of
Organized Crime of the RA Police that the people in X5 black BMW with plate
number 99 ՏԼ 555 and silver VAZ 21010 with plate number 80 ՍՍ 555 were armed and
intended to destabilize the situation in the capital.

On February 23, at about 11:00 PM, not far from Argavand crossing the CDOC
officers stopped the mentioned cars. During the control the people in the cars
showed resistance, as a result of which some incautious shots were fired from
the basic weapon of the officer of the mentioned department Rafik Muradyan,
causing light bodily injuries on the officer of the same department Gevorg
Malkhasyan, the officer of the 3rd department Tigran Karapetyan, as well as on
resisted Vardan Jhangiryan.

The police detained all those who were in the cars: former Deputy Prosecutor
Gagik Jhangirian, Vardan Jhangirian, Karen Hovanissian and Lyova Poghossian.

Gagik Jhangirian carried a "CZ 75" loaded pistol of Czech production, with 14
bullets in it, Vardan Jhangirian carried a "PSM" pistol with 8 bullets and a
magazine, and Karen Hovanissian a "Makarov" revolver with 8 cartridges and a
magazine charged with 8 cartridges.

During the search of the cars policemen also found a hunting rifle, a loaded
Browning revolver with 14 bullets, a knife, handcuffs and body armor. Vardan
Jhangirian is detained. Investigation is underway. Investigation is carried by
the Central Investigation Department of RA Police.

Let’s remind that Gagik Jhangiryan was relieved from the post of the deputy
prosecutor and stripped by the presidential decree Robert Kocharyan of the post
of the First Class State Counselor of Justice of the RA, when he joined the
movement initiated by Levon Ter-Petrossian.

The Police reports also that on February 24, at 11:00 AM, the Central Department
of Organized Crime of the RA Police received a call from an unknown citizen,
informing that the people in a black Lexus with plate number 03 ՏՍ 003 parked in
the intersection of Koryun-Terian streets were armed.

The operation group set off for a scene detained the abovementioned car and the
people in it: the ex-minister of state revenue Smbat Ayvazyan, born 1959, Artak
Sisakyan, previously convicted according to the article 232 of the Criminal Code
of RA, born 1974, and Vardan Kirakosyan, born 1961.

During the personal check-out of Smbat Aivazyan a baton with a black handle and
a nickel spring was detected. In the salon of the car a Makarov pistol of 9 mm
caliber was found with 7 cartridges and a cartridge clip, as well as 7
cartridges of 9 mm caliber.

Investigation is carried by the Central Department of Organized Crime of the RA
Police.

After all this, the headquarters of Levon Ter-Petrossian issued a statement
addressed to the authorities.

“The nation-wide movement initiated by the first president of the Republic of
Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossian, started on September 21 of 2007 and continuing up
today, has either not been covered, or been presented to the public in a
distorted way. Even in such conditions of a total blockade the leader of a
national movement Levon Ter-Petrossian gained the majority of the votes of those
who participated in the elections. These are the votes of people by the paid
taxes of which the public television and radio of Armenia is financed and who
are deprived today of their constitutional right to get free and unbiased
information.

Article 27 of the second chapter of the Constitution of RA reads that:

Everyone shall have the right to freely express his/her opinion.

Article 27 of the second chapter of the Constitution of RA reads that:

Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression including freedom to
search for, receive and impart information and ideas by any means.




In Article 27 of the second chapter of the Constitution of RA is clearly
mentioned that freedom of mass media and other means of mass information shall
be guaranteed.

The same article reads also that:

The state shall guarantee the existence and activities of an independent and
public radio and television service offering a variety of informational,
cultural and entertaining programs.




Being based on this very article of the fundamental law of RA, the Constitution,
the participants of the meeting taking place at the Liberty Square and in the
name of hundreds thousands of people voted for Levon Ter-Petrossian we demand
from the public radio and television:

a) to give effective an unbiased information on the protest actions initiated
after the February 19 shameful elections and all the post-election processes;

b) to enable the presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrossian and representatives
of more than twenty supporting him political and non-governmental organizations
to freely and publicly express their opinions.

In case of failure to fulfill these requirements, the president of the National
Board of Public Radio and Television Alexan Harutyunyan and the director of
Haylur news service Harutyun Harutyunyan must be immediately dismissed and
called to account for violation of constitutional rights of the citizens of RA.

This statement is addressed to the acting authorities, the National Board of
Public Radio and Television, to the organizations carrying out observer mission,
to the embassies of the European Union countries.”

Photos by Mikayel Kazaryan