YEREVAN. - Eight years have passed since the tragic events in Yerevan, which claimed the lives of 10 people.

The Armenian opposition didn’t recognize the official results of the presidential elections of 19 February 2008.  The then opposition leader – first President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan – held a round-the-clock rally at Yerevan’s Liberty Square since February 21. Several thousands of people took part in the marches demanding to cancel the official election results.   

In the morning of 1 March, the police forcefully dispersed the tent camp at the square, this being ensued by mass arrests of the opposition activists. However, close to the midday, a great number of opposition supporters gathered near Myasnikyan statue in the downtown. They began to build barricades expecting the second force operation of the authorities.

At 9:00 pm, the operation on the forceful dispersal of the multi-thousand rally was launched. Consequently, eight demonstrators were killed. Two servicemen of the Internal Troops also fell victim to the resistance. The then President Robert Kocharyan imposed a 20-day state of emergency in Yerevan.

Gor Kloyan, David Petrosyan, Tigran Abgaryan, Tigran Khachatryan, Armen Farman, Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Hamlet Tadevosyan, Grigor Gevorgyan, Samvel Harutyunyan and Zakar Hovhannisyan died.

Seven people died as a result of gunshot wounds, while the other three as a result of the application of Cheryomukha special weapon.