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STRIKING YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: "WE DEMAND A SERZH-FREE ARMENIA"
Mаry Mamyan
http://hetq.am/eng/news/23806/yerevan-state-universrty-students-stage-strike-to-protest-election-results.html
14:15, February 25, 2013
Hundreds of students at Yerevan State University did not attend
classes today to protest what organizers call the "rigged" February
18 presidential election in Armenia.
Norayr Hovhannisyan, a history student, stated, "We are against the
fraudulent election and do not recognize the official vote results."
Some of the striking students held aloft placards reading "Free and
Independent Students", "Strike", and "Unity".
Some of the students said that department heads had warned then not
to participate in the strike, even threatening them about possible
negative ramifications.
One name that repeated as a university official exerting pressure
was Geography and Geology Department Head Marat Grigoryan.
He denied the charges, saying that never forced his political views
on the students.
Nevertheless, Grigoryan said that students could express their views
after classes.
YSU Student Council President Rafi Karamyan told Hetq he didn't agree
with the strike since students must focus on their studies.
Karamanyan noted that the student council was apolitical and thus
could not comment on the election results.
YSU student Hermineh Virabyan argued that such actions help students
overcome the atmosphere of fear that exists and that she and her
friends were fighting for the rights.
"I demand that the president must be elected based on the voice of the
people and not according to the dictates of the authorities. We are
fighting against the regime. We want and demand a Serzh-free Armenia,"
said Virabyan.
From: Baghdasarian
Mаry Mamyan
http://hetq.am/eng/news/23806/yerevan-state-universrty-students-stage-strike-to-protest-election-results.html
14:15, February 25, 2013
Hundreds of students at Yerevan State University did not attend
classes today to protest what organizers call the "rigged" February
18 presidential election in Armenia.
Norayr Hovhannisyan, a history student, stated, "We are against the
fraudulent election and do not recognize the official vote results."
Some of the striking students held aloft placards reading "Free and
Independent Students", "Strike", and "Unity".
Some of the students said that department heads had warned then not
to participate in the strike, even threatening them about possible
negative ramifications.
One name that repeated as a university official exerting pressure
was Geography and Geology Department Head Marat Grigoryan.
He denied the charges, saying that never forced his political views
on the students.
Nevertheless, Grigoryan said that students could express their views
after classes.
YSU Student Council President Rafi Karamyan told Hetq he didn't agree
with the strike since students must focus on their studies.
Karamanyan noted that the student council was apolitical and thus
could not comment on the election results.
YSU student Hermineh Virabyan argued that such actions help students
overcome the atmosphere of fear that exists and that she and her
friends were fighting for the rights.
"I demand that the president must be elected based on the voice of the
people and not according to the dictates of the authorities. We are
fighting against the regime. We want and demand a Serzh-free Armenia,"
said Virabyan.
From: Baghdasarian