HAK displeased with Appellate Court ruling
The opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) has issued a statement condemning the Appellate Court's ruling in the case of outspoken oppositionist Nikol Pashinyan, sentenced to a seven-year prison sentence by a Yerevan court.
"The Court of Appeals upheld Tuesday the sentence given to opposition newspaper editor Nikol Pashinyan for his alleged role in the 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan.
The prosecution could not submit grounded evidence. Anyway, the judge illegally and explicitly refused the motions of the defence ignoring the facts and executing the order of Serzhik Sargsyan.
We find the court rulings as a political vendetta and personal revenge on Nikol Pashinyan, rather than an attempt to seek justice. The decision is politically motivated as being a prominent journalist and political figure Nikol has criticized and struggled against the acting bandit regime for 10 years.
Pashinyan was one of the most popular and passionate speakers at the anti-government protests staged by the HAK. Pashinyan was among several senior opposition figures who went underground and avoided arrest after the clashes between protesters and security forces following post-election tragic events of March 1, 2008.
On June 1, 2009, he came out of hiding and was immediately placed under arrest which speaks of the authorities' vindictive plans and fear.
The Armenian National Congress will spare no effort to fight for Nikol Pashinyan and other political prisoners."
