14 June 2008, 12:50
Armenian opposition to hold rallies despite authorities' ban
In the context of the refusal of the Mayoralty of the capital of Armenia to sanction the oppositional rally and march planned on June 20, the Nationwide Movement (the block of 23 oppositional political parties and several dozens of public organizations) has made a statement that the opposition "would give another chance" to the authorities to sanction the events, but the rally will take place despite any possible prohibition.
"We'll challenge the illegal decision in the court, and we'll submit another notification to the Mayoralty on holding the rally, thus demonstrating our flexibility and constructivism. We are resolutely going to regain on this day our constitutional right to hold rallies," the opposition is promising.
The statement of the block runs that according to Article 13, point 1.3, of the current Law "On Holding Rallies, Meetings, Marches and Demonstrations", an oppositional rally can be prohibited only if another organization, intending to hold its action at the same time, had duly notified the competent bodies. However, the statement of the opposition says that it became clear from the explanations of authorized Mayor's representative Gagik Bagdasaryan that nobody else had notified the Mayoralty.
The Centre of the Nationwide Movement finds that such behaviour of the authorities shows that they are afraid of their own people who just want to enjoy their elementary constitutional rights.
Author: Lilit Ovanisyan, CK correspondent
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