| Armenian National Congress Հայ Ազգային Կոնգրես |
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|---|---|
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Yerevan, Armenia |
| Ideology | Centrism Constitutionalism[1] |
| International affiliation | None |
| Website | |
| http://www.anc.am/ | |
The Armenian National Congress (Armenian: Հայ Ազգային Կոնգրես, Hay Azgayin Kongres, Русский: Армянский Национальный Конгресс) is a coalition of 13 opposition parties in the Republic of Armenia led by former President Levon Ter-Petrossian and formed in 2008. Its direct predecessor was the Pan-Armenian National Movement.
It is often abbreviated as ՀԱԿ HAK, in keeping with its Armenian spelling, but it is occasionally referred to as ANC in English-language media, including in its web URL.[2]
The website of the Armenian National Congress lists five main goals:
• The immediate release of all political prisoners.
• Attaining complete freedom of speech, access to media, and assembly.
• Truly independent investigation of the crimes of March 1 with the significant participation of International experts.
• Initiation of a dialogue with the authorities about democratic reforms after the fulfillment of at least the first condition.
• Holding of pre-term presidential and parliamentary elections.—Armenian National Congress, official website[3]
During the 2011 Armenian protests, the HAK played a major role in organizing demonstrations and pushing for the government of President Serzh Sargsyan, who defeated Ter-Petrossian in the 2008 election, to accept the demands of protesters.[4] The death of 10 supporters of Ter-Petrossian as a result of protests that followed Sargsyan's disputed victory are a major rallying point for protesters.
Relations between the HAK and Heritage, a fellow opposition party, historically have been rocky, with differences in tactics during the 2011 protests widening the rift.[5]
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