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Human rights activist Hovhannes Khudoyan has reflected on the June 12 violent police crackdown on demonstrators outside the Armenian parliament, highlighting its difference from the 1 March 2008 post-election clashes between riot police and protesters in Yerevan which left 10 people dead.

"In general, it’s inappropriate to compare the events of March 1 and June 12 in many senses,” he wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

“On March 1, police officers used firearms (shooting in the air), while on 12 June they did not.

There were casualties on March 1 and none on June 12.

On March 1, special measures were used in a much more dangerous way (also causing death), while on 12 June stun grenades were used improperly and illegally, causing serious injuries.

On March 1, some of the protesters were armed with weapons, while on 12 June there were none.

On March 1, there were riots with arson, property damage and store break-ins, while on 12 June there were none.

On March 1, a grenade was thrown at the police cordons (causing the first death), with no such incident recorded on June 12.

On March 1, Molotov cocktails were thrown at police officers, with plastic bottles thrown at them on June 12.

The provocateur on March 1 wore a black scarf, whereas the provocateur on June 12 wore a black tie,” Khudoyan wrote.