Safaryan case: Lawyer challenges presiding judge
The Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts started hearing the case of civil activist Gevorg Safaryan, who has been in custody since December 31. At the beginning of the court sitting, Safaryan’s lawyer Tigran Hayrapetyan filed a seven-point petition challenging the judge, who, as Hayrapetyan said, has studied numerous cases which were politically motivated without announcing a fair verdict but simply ratifying the order of the authorities. Gevorg Safaryan joined the petition saying the judge [Mnatsakan Martirosyan] has sent numerous political prisoners behind bars and he does not want his case to be studied by a judge who roughly violates human rights. The judge has retired to the consultation room to make a decision. Safaryan was detained during clashes between police and demonstrators at Liberty Square on New Year’s Eve. He was immediately charged with using violence against a government representative and was placed under two-month custody. In March, the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan’s Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun administrative districts upheld the motion of the investigative body to extend the detention of the civil activist for another 45 days. At the same time, the court rejected a defense motion to release Safaryan on bail. He has been in custody since December 31.
