Pashinyan's verdict to be reached on January 19
The audience was full and the atmosphere was tense at the court before the start of editor-in-chief of "Haykakan Zhamanak" Nikol Pashinyan's trial today.
After the prosecutors demanded an 8-year sentencing, Pashinyan's advocates made a nearly 3-hour defense speech and demanded that the court reach a verdict.
Before touching upon the charges brought up against Pashinyan under Articles 225 and 316 of the RA Criminal Code, advocate Lusine Sahakyan corroborated that Levon Ter-Petrosyan had held peaceful rallies after the falsified February 19 presidential elections until March 1 and there had been no disturbances.
"The statements by representatives of international organizations prove that as well," said the advocate.
As far as the charge against Nikol Pashinyan for organizing mass disturbances on March 1, Mrs. Sahakyan mentioned that it should first and foremost be proven whether or not mass disturbances took place on March 1.
She mentioned all the calls that Pashinyan had made to the people gathered near Myasnikyan statue on March 1 that the preliminary investigative body had edited. Pashinyan had made no call for attack. The advocate noted that the opposition activists of the "Case of Seven" were each sentenced for organizing mass disturbances, while Pashinyan was charged with organizing everything. Based on testimonies procured from the prosecutor's eyewitnesses and the interrogations, Lusine Sahakyan substantiated that Nikol Pashinyan had not committed any crime according to the charge that was brought up against him. Expecting a fair verdict from Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan, Lusine Sahakyan mentioned that the judge is obliged to reach a verdict for the 10 victims of March 1 whose death remains unrevealed to this day.
Pashinyan anticipates justification
Nikol Pashinyan made a defense speech today. "The trial is drawing to an end, but my charge was not clarified." Pashinyan gave a brief presentation of what happened on October 23, 2007 for which he was charged under Article 316 of the Criminal Code, that is, applying force against a state representative and said: "I couldn't have hit a policemen even if I had the greatest desire because the police had tied my hands."
Talking about March 1, Pashinyan declared that the police had not presented any legal demand to the opposition during the 10-day rallies. "They didn't present anything because they know that we would fulfill the legal demand. Their goal was to beat people and that's what they did."
Pashinyan announced that his advocates, as well as the videos and evidence presented by the prosecutors were enough to justify him. "I expect a fair verdict, but on the other hand, I am not naïve to think that a fair verdict can be reached in Armenia. I expect justification from RA citizens. I expect RA citizens to reach a fair verdict by electing me during the January 10 elections at the #10 precinct."
Pashinyan today took advantage of his right to a final word and said briefly: "Our struggle is incessant and our victory is inevitable. Fight, fight until the end." The audience joined him and continued "Fight, fight until the end" with applause.
After calling order, Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan announced that Pashinyan's verdict will be reached on January 19, 2010 at 12 p.m.
