26 February 2009, 21:00
Action in defence of Armenians' rights held in Yerevan at Georgia's Embassy
On February 25 in the evening, a protest action was held at the Embassy of Georgia in Armenia with a demand to release two Armenian activists arrested on suspicion of espionage in Georgian region of Dzhavakhk inhabited mainly by Armenians.
"We are friendly to Georgia, but the parliament of this country should respect the rights of the Armenian community. We demand Georgia to recognize the Armenian language as the second state language in the territory of Dzhavakhk," said Chirac Torosyan, chairman of the Dzhavakhk community.
"Armenia is under threat because Dzhavakhk Armenians are under threat," the "Panorama.am" Agency quotes Eduard Abramyan, director of the "Mitk" Analytical Centre.
The action was organized by the "Erkir" Union of Public Organizations on Repatriation and Development, "Mitk" Analytical Centre and Dzhavakhk community. The rally, which was sanctioned by the Mayoralty of Yerevan, has attracted, on different data, from 300 to 600 persons.
The protesters demanded from Georgian authorities to award the regional status to the Armenian language, to define the legal status of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia and to open the Armenian-Georgian University in Dzhavakhk. They also suggested to simplify the work of a check point in the Armenian-Georgian border and to increase its staff.
The petition with the claims of the participants of the rally will be served to Georgia's ambassador to Armenia, as the IA "News-Georgia" reports.
