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Raffi Hovhannisyan ends hunger strike

01 April 2013 08:13 (UTC +04:00)

Baku – APA. An Armenian opposition politician who went on a hunger strike from March 10 in protest against the official results of the recent presidential elections said on Sunday he had decided to end the action.

Raffi Hovhannisyan, US-born leader of the opposition Heritage party, went out of his tent, which he had set up in Freedom Square in the center of Yerevan, and said he was grateful to all those who supported him in his protest.

“I want to thank my family members who supported me during these days. I’m also grateful to all policemen who, with the exception of some minor incidents, performed their duty well,” Hovhannisyan said, adding he would continue his political struggle the next day.

Hovhannisyan came in second at the February 18 presidential election with 36.74 percent of votes. Incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan won the election with almost 59 percent, but Hovhannisyan questioned the official vote results saying they were rigged.

The opposition leader has earlier urged Sargsyan to step down by April 9, when he is scheduled to swear in as president for his second term.