The ECHR has found violations of the rights of victims of the 2008 suppression of protests in Armenia.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that the Armenian authorities violated the rights of citizens killed and injured during the brutal suppression of protests following the 2008 presidential elections. The opposition claimed that the election results were falsified, and the protests were met with force: ten people, including two police officers, were killed during the dispersal of the rallies.

The court ordered the Armenian authorities to pay each applicant €30,000 and an additional €35,000 to cover legal costs. The ECHR consolidated nine appeals concerning the events of March 1, 2008, into a single case. In most cases, the court emphasized that the "use of lethal force" was not "absolutely necessary," and that the deaths of the victims were the result of a poorly organized operation and disproportionate use of force.

Furthermore, the ECHR noted that the Armenian government failed to provide all the requested documents related to the investigation into the 2008 events.

Recall that protests erupted after Serzh Sargsyan's victory in the disputed elections. The opposition was led by former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan and current Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Pashinyan was subsequently convicted of organizing "violent" rallies but released under an amnesty.

Following the 2018 "Velvet Revolution" and Pashinyan's rise to power, the investigation into the violent actions was reopened, and former officials, including Robert Kocharyan, were charged with suppressing the protests.

In 2024, the case was sent back to the Anti-Corruption Court for a new trial, and the prosecutor's office opened a case against the former high-ranking officials for abuse of office and abuse of influence. As part of this case, the authorities intend to recover from them the amount previously paid to the victims as compensation – 670 million drams (approximately 1.7 million dollars).

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