News - 16 years pass since tragic events of March 1 in downtown Yerevan

Tragic events took place in downtown Yerevan exactly 16 years ago on this day, as a result of which 10 people had died. After the presidential elections of February 18, 2008, the supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the First President of Armenia, gathered at Freedom Square and demanded a review of the election results. They held round-the-clock rallies at Freedom Square for 10 days. But on the morning of March 1, 2008, the police forcibly dispersed those gathered at Freedom Square. People began to assemble near the Alexander Myasnikyan Statue. In the evening of the same day, the country's then president, Robert Kocharyan, declared a state of emergency. As a result of the clashes, 10 people died, including two policemen, and another 200 people were injured in various degrees. A large number of people were arrested and detained on charges of participating in mass riots.