Next hearing into human rights advocate case on Monday
Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan's Kentron and Nork-Marash districts today adjourned hearing into the case of Helsinki Association member and human rights advocate Arshaluys Hakobyan because of the non-attendance of Judge Gagik Avetisyan.
Arshaluys Hakobyan is charged under Article 316 of the RA Criminal Code (violence against a government representative) and is tried exclusively on the basis of testimonies given by four policemen. Arshaluys Hakobyan has been in custody for 4,5 months.
The court hearing of October 16, 2009 was adjourned after Prosecutor Hunan Babayan demanded that the charges be reviewed or new evidence be furnished. The prosecutor has been prolonging the hearings ever since.
According to the case materials, on June 5, 2009, Arshaluys Hakobyan was subpoenaed to the Special Investigative Service, but as Hakobyan was drunk, he cursed the policemen in his house, disobeying and attacking them. In the long run, two policemen from the Kentron District Police Division who "came to the rescue" took Hakobyan to the police station.
