“I’m the godfather of this case”
The trial of editor-in-chief of "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily Nikol Pashinyan is in progress, but prosecutors continue to present eyewitnesses who don't recognize Pashinyan.
Today the court continued the examination of the conflict between policemen and participants that took place at the Abovyan-Koryun intersection on October 23, 2007. Pashinyan was compelled to stand in different positions so that the eyewitnesses could have an opportunity to closely examine him, but all three eyewitnesses announced that they didn't recognize Pashinyan. Only one of the eyewitnesses, Zhanna Mikayelyan said at the end of the examination:
"If the newspapers are correct, he is Nikol Pashinyan."
Eyewitness Mikayelyan is one of the workers of the taxi service located on Koryun Street and had followed-up on the events across the street.
"Thirty to forty people came from the Matenadaran and stood at the Abovyan-Koryun intersection. When they were coming, there were some policemen," the eyewitness said.
Why didn't people move forward? In response to Nikol Pashinyan's question, the eyewitness said:
"It was two years ago. I don't remember, dear Nikol." Pashinyan's advocates' questions frustrated the eyewitness. "Why are you asking me these questions? Do you want me to say that the police beat people and took them?"
Satenik Mnatsakanyan, one of the workers of a factory near Koryun Street, was more unbiased today. She told the court that she had seen a group of people and there had been commotion after the police came. "A woman was in a dispute with a policeman because the police took her husband. If it weren't for her husband, she wouldn't be in that dispute. Then the red-capped policemen put the people in the cars and drove off," eyewitness Mnatsakanyan said.
After the eyewitnesses' prosecution, Pashinyan's advocates petitioned to change Pashinyan's precautionary measure and release him based on Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights. One of the prosecutors objected, saying that Pashinyan had been under persecution. Pashinyan was forced to remind the prosecutor the following: "This case is taking place because I wanted it to take place. I'm sorry to say this, but I am the godfather of this case."
Pashinyan asked Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan if he could appeal to him for issues concerning his precautionary measure or if those issues were still taken care of at Baghramyan 26 Street [the presidential residence-ed.].
Pashinyan also reminded Judge Martirosyan that he was sitting under the RA emblem and the tricolor was next to him and asked him to substantiate his decisions in a way so as not to offend the RA emblem, the tricolor and the RA citizen.
After a one hour interval, the Judge announced that the court denied Pashinyan's petition to change the precautionary measure.
