TRIAL OF OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS KICKED OFF
Support A1+!
The trial of prominent opposition figures in Armenia, known as “the case against seven” kicked off in the Court of First Instance of Shengavit district at 12:00, December 19. Presently, some 500 people are grouped in front of the court building holding defendants’ photos and shouting, “Freedom, Levon!”
The building is guarded by numerous policemen who deny people’s access to the court.
Alexandre Arzumanyan, Grigor Voskerchyan, Suren Sirunyan, Shant Harutyunyan and NA MPs Hakob Hakobyan, Miasnik Malkhasyan and Sasun Mikayelyan are charged with calls for mass disorder and power usurpation /instigation and organisation of mass disturbances/. Miasnik Malkhasyan is also indicted for resistance against policemen and Sasun Mikayelyan - for carrying illegal weapons.
As soon as the defendants appeared in the courtroom, they were welcomed by warm applause and loud shouts. The court sitting is attended by the relatives of the ten victims of the March 1 unrest, Leader of the People’s Party (HZhK) Stepan Depmirchyan, Leader of the Republic Party Aram Sargsyan, Leader of the New Times Party (NZhK) Aram Karapetyan, Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan and Armenian MPs.
