Armenian opposition warns to ignore Municipality's ban and rally on Azatutyun Square

The recent decisions by Yerevan Municipality concerning granting authorization for holding rallies attest to the fact that it is acting unlawfully, coordinator of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) Levon Zurabyan told Tert.am.

"The recent decisions show that whatever Yerevan Municipality is doing, it is doing it illegally," said he.

Earlier Yerevan Municipality rejected HAK's request to permit it hold a rally on Azatutyun (Liberty) Square - a traditional venue the opposition has used for organizing rallies and demonstrations.

Citing another event scheduled on the site on the same day the Municipality instead allowed the HAK to hold the rally near Matenadaran in downtown Yerevan - something the HAK had not planned.

According to Mr Zurabyan, under Armenian law the Municipality does not have the right not to allow holding an event on a site unless there is another application for the same site and on the same date.

Besides, if there is another event scheduled on the same place on the same day, the Municipality must offer to hold the event another day.

What is important, according to him, the HAK will continue its fight.

"And as soon as we lose patience, we will declare that we will hold a rally on Azatutyun Square, and we will go and hold it," said he.

HAK is holding a rally near Matenadaran on September 17. Former Armenian president and prominent oppositionist Levon Ter-Petrosyan is expected to address the public.