(Saturday, September 27)
“Aravot” says Friday’s meeting of the Armenian parliamentary commission investigating the March 1 clashes in Yerevan showed that the opposition was right to not to trust it. The paper says its members’ questions and statements on fresh video of the clashes released by the opposition were “extremely one-sided.”
But “Hayots Ashkhar” believes that the commission on Friday simply “disproved another lie” spread by the opposition. The paper says explanations given by law-enforcement officials were convincing. “Why isn’t the prosecutor’s office tracking down and holding accountable those who spread false rumors?” it asks.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” calls the commission meeting a “disgrace.” The paper is furious with commission members for denying that the presented video is evidence of indiscriminate murders committed by security forces on March 1. It says the parliamentary body must be named a “commission refuting the events of March 1.”
“If necessary, their ‘eyewitnesses’ will say that the images show not blood but coke,” “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” comments mockingly.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” plays up Friday’s opposition rally in Yerevan, saying that it “broke the authorities’ illusions that the popular movement [of Levon Ter-Petrosian] could die out over time.” “The authorities realized that people’s enthusiasm has not faded and has only doubled,” claims the opposition paper.
“Hraparak” similarly writes about the protesters’ “enthusiasm,” saying the rally showed that “the public wants to fight and does not consider rallies and sit-ins the only form of struggle.” The paper says opposition supporters back their leaders’ decision to contest some of the local election held in Armenia.
But as “Hayots Ashkhar” points out, the number of rally participants was unusually small. The paper says organizers delayed the start of the protest in hopes that the crowd will grow bigger. “The small square of the [Northern] avenue was not filled even 40 minutes later,” it says.
(Hrach Melkumian)
“Aravot” says Friday’s meeting of the Armenian parliamentary commission investigating the March 1 clashes in Yerevan showed that the opposition was right to not to trust it. The paper says its members’ questions and statements on fresh video of the clashes released by the opposition were “extremely one-sided.”
But “Hayots Ashkhar” believes that the commission on Friday simply “disproved another lie” spread by the opposition. The paper says explanations given by law-enforcement officials were convincing. “Why isn’t the prosecutor’s office tracking down and holding accountable those who spread false rumors?” it asks.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” calls the commission meeting a “disgrace.” The paper is furious with commission members for denying that the presented video is evidence of indiscriminate murders committed by security forces on March 1. It says the parliamentary body must be named a “commission refuting the events of March 1.”
“If necessary, their ‘eyewitnesses’ will say that the images show not blood but coke,” “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” comments mockingly.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” plays up Friday’s opposition rally in Yerevan, saying that it “broke the authorities’ illusions that the popular movement [of Levon Ter-Petrosian] could die out over time.” “The authorities realized that people’s enthusiasm has not faded and has only doubled,” claims the opposition paper.
“Hraparak” similarly writes about the protesters’ “enthusiasm,” saying the rally showed that “the public wants to fight and does not consider rallies and sit-ins the only form of struggle.” The paper says opposition supporters back their leaders’ decision to contest some of the local election held in Armenia.
But as “Hayots Ashkhar” points out, the number of rally participants was unusually small. The paper says organizers delayed the start of the protest in hopes that the crowd will grow bigger. “The small square of the [Northern] avenue was not filled even 40 minutes later,” it says.
(Hrach Melkumian)