Moscow, 30 September 1996 (RFE/RL) -- Eight people have been arrested in Armenia following last week's anti-government protest against the results of presidential elections.
Five of those arrested were parliamentary deputies, whose immunity was stripped by parliament after being accused of having taken part in the protests, an investigator at the prosecutor's office told Interfax news agency today
Opposition leader Vazgen Manukyan, who according to official results lost the poll to incumbent President Levon Ter-Petrossian, was not among those arrested, said the investigator.
Last week was marked by violence in Yerevan, where tens of thousands of Manukyan supporters rallied to accuse the government of falsifying results. The unrest culminated Wednesday, when thousands of protestors stormed Parliament. Troops and armored vehicles were sent in to maintain order around the building and the government ordered a ban on demonstrations.
Yerevan has returned to normal, but troops and armored vehicles are still stationed in the city center.
Five of those arrested were parliamentary deputies, whose immunity was stripped by parliament after being accused of having taken part in the protests, an investigator at the prosecutor's office told Interfax news agency today
Opposition leader Vazgen Manukyan, who according to official results lost the poll to incumbent President Levon Ter-Petrossian, was not among those arrested, said the investigator.
Last week was marked by violence in Yerevan, where tens of thousands of Manukyan supporters rallied to accuse the government of falsifying results. The unrest culminated Wednesday, when thousands of protestors stormed Parliament. Troops and armored vehicles were sent in to maintain order around the building and the government ordered a ban on demonstrations.
Yerevan has returned to normal, but troops and armored vehicles are still stationed in the city center.