2003–2004 Armenian protests

The 2003-2004 Armenian protests were a series of demonstrations held in Yerevan following the 2003 Armenian presidential election, led by former presidential candidate Stepan Demirchyan.

2003-2004 Armenian protests
Date	March 2003 – April 2004
Location	Yerevan, Armenia
Caused by	alleged electoral fraud during the 2003 presidential election
Goals	resignation of President Robert Kocharyan new general elections
Methods	demonstrations
Resulted in	Protests suppressed by force
Parties
Opposition parties People's Party National Unity National Democratic Union Unified Armenians Democratic Party Armenian government Police
Lead figures
Stepan Demirchyan Artashes Geghamyan Vazgen Manukyan Ruben Avagyan Aram Sargsyan Robert Kocharyan (President) Andranik Margaryan (PM) Artur Baghdasaryan (Parliament Speaker) Hayk Harutyunyan (Police Chief)
Number
500+ (9 April 2004) 10,000+ (12 April 2004)

Background

See also: Armenian presidential election, 2003

Protests

April 12, 2004

Opposition candidate Stepan Demirchyan, who was the official runner-up of that election, was defeated by Robert Kocharyan in the second round. Demirchyan started a protest demanding authority retirement in the Freedom Square, he later started a rally to Presidential Palace, but police blocked the road from the front of National Assembly, after this protesters announced a sit-in, later police attacked protesters to disperse the sit-in.^[1][2]

See also

• 2008 Armenian presidential election protests
• 2011 Armenian protests
• 2013 Armenian protests
• List of protests in the 21st century