Armenian opposition leader keeps contesting vote

World February 22, 2013

Armenian opposition leader keeps contesting vote

Photo: AP Supporters of Raffi Hovanessian, who unsuccessfully challenged President Serge Sarkisian in Monday's election, hold Armenian flags during a protest rally in Yerevan, Armenia, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. About eight thousand supporters of Raffi Hovanessian, who has lost Armenia's presidential vote to the incumbent, gathered to back his demands. Hovanessian pledged to continue to contest the results of Armenia's presidential election.

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YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Thousands of people have protested the outcome of Armenia's presidential election, which saw the opposition candidate they support finish second.

Raffi Hovanessian told a rally of about 8,000 supporters on Friday that he will continue to push for an annulment of the results of Monday's election, which he claims was rigged. Hovanessian, Armenia's first foreign minister after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, said he plans to travel to several Armenian cities over the weekend to seek support and to hold another rally in Yerevan, the capital, on Sunday.

International monitors said the election — in which President Serge Sarkisian received nearly 59 percent of the vote while Hovanessian trailed behind with 37 percent — "lacked competition," but noted improvements compared to the previous poll.

Subjects
People
- Serzh Sargsyan
Locations
- Armenia,
- Yerevan,
- Eastern Europe,
- Europe

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