High-profile trial recessed till April 1
Armenia's high-profile trial of the "case of seven" taking place at the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan's Kentron and Nork-Marash districts has been recessed till April 1.
Taking into account the recent amendments to Articles 225 and 300 of the Criminal Code, Prosecutor Koryun Piloyan motioned that the court should give the prosecution time to review the modifications as they impact on the ongoing trial.
Under the disputed amendments the indictments against the seven defendants are to be lifted. The political prisoners advised the court to study the amendments thoroughly and considered their arrest illegal and senseless.
"Dismiss the case and review the restraint since the articles under which we are charged no longer exist. According to the statutes now in force, I no longer see any grounds for holding us any longer. You may later study the amendments and sue us if you find any indictments," demanded defendant Alexander Arzumanyan.
The lawyers attempted to oppose the prosecutor's motion but the judge in the case, Mnatsakan Martirosyan disregarded their complaint.
Mnatsakan Martirosyan upheld Koryun Piloyan's petition and adjourned the court sitting till April 1, at 12.00.
Defendants Alexander Arzumanyan, Myasnik Malkhasyan, Sasun Mikayelyan, Hakob Hakobyan and Suren Sirounyan were present at today's trial. The court sanction against Grigor Voskerchyan ends tomorrow.
Note that the amendments were ratified by Serzh Sargsyan but haven't been put into effect.
