Lawyer was unable to see arrested oppositionist activist
The lawyer of Gevorg Safaryan, an opposition activist who was arrested on January 4 after clashes with riot police on New Year’s Eve, has been unable to see the activist today because of the lack of electricity in Nubarashen penitentiary institution. “The entire community [Erebuni district] was de-energized and the prison head had instructed to cancel all appointments,” lawyer Tigran Hayrapetyan told A1+. However, the lawyer was able to learn that Gevorg Safaryan had not been taken to another cell. Gevorg was taken to a separate cell after he started a hunger strike saying he was afraid of possible torture. On December 31, the police used force against activists of the New Armenia Public Salvation Front as they attempted to place a Christmas tree in Yerevan’s Liberty Square. Five of them were detained as a result. All of the activists except Gevorg Safaryan were set free in the following hours. Safaryan was charged with assaulting and injuring a senior police officer, Gegham Khachatryan and was placed under pre-trial arrest for two months.
