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Democracy on Rocky Ground
Armenia's Disputed 2008 Presidential Election, Post-Election Violence, and the One-Sided Pursuit of Accountability
Map of Central Yerevan
I. Summary
II. Methodology
III. Background
Early Post-Soviet Politics and Society in Armenia
The Ter-Petrossian presidency, 1991-98..
Prevailing Characteristics of Armenian Party Politics
Disputes and Violence a Fixture in Armenian Elections
Ter-Petrossian's reelection, 1996..
Kocharyan's 1998 election and 2003 reelection
IV. The 2008 Presidential Election
V. The Post-Election Protests and Violence
Overview..
Armenia's International Legal Obligations on Police Use
of Force
The March 1 Events in Detail
Early morning removal of protestors and protest camp at
Freedom Square
Demonstrators gather near the French embassy
Violent clashes and police use of force
Shop looting and other criminal damage
State of Emergency
International reaction to the state of emergency
Post-state of emergency restrictions on freedom of
assembly
VI. Ill-treatment and Torture
Treatment of People Detained in Connection with March 1
Armenia's international legal obligations regarding
treatment of detainees
Cases of ill-treatment during arrest and in custody
Lack of opportunity to inform family members and access a
lawyer of one's choice
VII. Official Investigation and Prosecution
Special Investigative Group and Parliamentary Commission
Investigation and Prosecution of Demonstrators
Controversial ongoing prosecution including three members
of parliament
Complaints about the fairness of trial proceedings
Investigation of Excessive Use of Force
Investigation of Torture and Ill-Treatment
VIII. Recommendations
To the Armenian Government
Regarding the dispersal of and attacks on protestors
Regarding the treatment of people during arrest and in
custody
Regarding the conduct of elections
To the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE)
To the United States and the European Union
Acknowledgements
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