“Election Code demands to release Pashinyan”
A Yerevan court was scheduled to hear the testimony of chief editor of Haykakan Zhamanak Daily Nikol Pashinyan, but the court heard Pashinyan's motion instead.
Before that Pashinyan's advocates informed the court that the Central Election Commission had registered Nikol Pashinyan as a parliamentary candidate at Constituency 10 on December 5.
Under Article 111 of the RA Election Code a parliamentary candidate cannot be kept in detention unless the CEC has issued permission.
"Pashinyan must be released immediately since he has been given unequal footing compared with the other three candidates nominated at the same constituency," Advocate Lusine Sahakyan said after filing a motion with the court.
In his addressing speech Pashinyan reminded the court that he had been chased since October 23, 2007, and now he couldn't exercise his rights stipulated by the Election Code.
Then the court recessed to study the motion for the change of Pashinyan's restraint.
After the recess accusant Harutyun Harutyunyan urged that the motion be rejected since Pashinyan had been arrested before he was registered as a parliamentary candidate.
Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan retired to the jury-room to discuss the motion.
"I don't expect you to bring in a fair verdict," Pashinyan announced.
As was expected the judge rejected the motion.
