Thousands of opposition supporters have taken to the streets in the Armenian capital, Yerevan calling for the resignation of President Serzh Sarksyan and new elections.

They accuse the authorities of rigging the ballot in February that brought him to power. Sarksyan was the candidate chosen by the then outgoing president, Robert Kocharyan, to succeed him.

Since then tensions have been high in the Caucusas nation, sometimes erupting into violence. Nine people died in clashes between protesters and the army in March. The opposition say they intend to escalate their campaign to force Sarksyan to resign.

At a meeting ahead of today’s rally opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan urged people to stage mass-meetings, pickets and sit-ins. Ter-Petroysan, a former president himself, was placed under house-arrest after February’s vote but was later released.

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