On November 9, at 6:30 p.m. local time supporters of the oppositional Armenian National Congress (ANC) started a rally in Yerevan. Opposition gathered in the square adjacent to the Institute of Ancient Manuscripts “Matenadaran”. The action of protest has been organized on the occasion of the EU-Armenia Civil Society Seminar on the Right to a Fair Trial and Independence of the Judiciary, to be held in Yerevan, November 9-10.

A NEWS.am correspondent reports the ANC leader, Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Chairman of the People’s Party of Armenia Stepan Demirchyan, Chairman of the Republic Party Aram Sargsyan, as well as the leaders of the smaller parties forming the ANC are standing on the platform.

Addressing the attendees, head of Armenian National Movement (ANM) Aram Manukyan stated today’s action is supposed to show the inferiority of Armenian judicial system, depending on authorities and carrying out their instructions. According to him, this miserable picture emerged during the domestic political crisis in February 2008, when the judicial system became a tool of political repressions.

Manukyan said 4 ANC young activists are still in the police department. They were brought to police during ANC picket in Yerevan. He called on the authorities to release the activists till the end of the procession.