Armenian MoD: the army dispersed oppositional demonstration under President's personal order

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Armenia has published a statement in reply to accusation by the opposition about the army's illegal interference into events on March 1, 2008. The statement runs, in particular, that the pretext for interference was the decree of the President of Armenia dated March 1, 2008, to introduce the state of emergency.

"The Ministry of Defence states that, according to the decree, the task to maintain public order in the state of emergency was vested to the police and MoD," runs the document.

The MoD's statement affirms that deployment of the units started from 10:25 p.m., that is, after President of Armenia signed his decree on the state of emergency.

The document marks that the units were clearly ordered not to use force.

"The army units not just withheld using firearms; they did no tact at all, including towards restoration of public order. Such actions were undertaken by the police, including the police troops of Armenia, who wear the same field uniform, as the staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia," the statement further runs.

For this reason, the published document asserts, the people could have a wrong idea that the public order was restored by the army.

During the press conference on February 18, representatives of the Armenian National Congress, having referred to the materials, now at disposal of the public commission set up by the opposition to study the March events, declared that on March 1, 2008, a putsch took place in Armenia, as the authorities used army against the people.

During the press conference, a video was shown, evidencing the presence of armed formations in the capital long before the introduction of the state of emergency. In particular, reports were shown filmed by the Reuters clearly demonstrating that army units started to move to Yerevan well before the announcement of the state of emergency.