Epress.am News from Armenia
“The Armenian National Congress’ Apr. 28 rally will take place in Liberty Square,” so reads a statement issued by the Armenian National Congress (HAK) today.
“Yerevan City Hall, on the basis of a supplementary letter from organizers about the rally venue, reviewed its previous Apr. 13 decision no. 62 and approved a new decision no. 84 to permit the rally to take place at Liberty Square. The Armenian National Congress congratulates everyone on this occasion. The square, the symbolic birthplace of free speech, freedom and independence will once again serve the dissemination of free speech, the achievement of real freedom and the strengthening of Armenia’s independence,” reads the statement.
Note, this is the first opposition rally that has been sanctioned by the authorities since the mass unrest that followed disputed presidential elections in 2008. Two previous opposition rallies this year also took place in Liberty Square; however, these were unsanctioned. Also important to note is this is one of HAK’s three demands to the authorities, which the opposition group said the Sargsyan administration must agree to prior to Apr. 28.
“If that does not take place [i.e. the demands are not met], then the Armenian National Congress will consider the possibility of dialogue [with the authorities] to have been exhausted and will be compelled to drastically change its tactic and the character of activities,” HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrossian said at the Apr. 8 HAK rally.
The Apr. 28 rally is set to begin at 6 pm.