Radical opposition leader’s trial adjourned till October 3 (video)
A Yerevan court today continued to hear the case involving political activist Shant Harutyunyan and his friends. As soon as the sitting started, a group of citizens gathered outside the court building in support of Harutyunyan and his friends began chanting, “Heroes!” During the sitting, defendant Alek Poghosyan asked the Court to appoint a public defender to represent his interests. The case has entered the stage of disputes and today the Court was to hear defence attorneys. The next court hearing is slated for October 3. Shant Harutyunyan, Chairman of the radical opposition Tseghakron party, and a dozen of his supporters clashed with riot police in Yerevan last November. Harutyunyan led a demonstration in Yerevan on November 5, 2013. During the protest, he and scores of his supporters were confronted by riot police that blocked the street leading to the presidential administration, which the group was going ‘to blow up’ with petrol bombs. Harutyunyan was later arrested and charged with using violence against representatives of law-enforcement agencies. He was immediately charged under Article 316.2 of the Criminal Code of Armenia (violence against a representative of the authorities that is dangerous for life or health). However, in April 2014, the charges against political activist were replaced with Article 258 Section 4 (hooliganism committed with a weapon or another item used as a weapon). Harutyunyan faces up to 7 years in prison under new charges. According to official reports, 16 people were injured in the November 5 street clashes, including eight policemen. A total of 14 citizens, including Harutyunyan’s underage son Shahen, were charged in connection with the violence. Some human rights groups and representatives of the opposition also describe the people in the dock as political prisoners. The prosecutor also demanded sentences of various lengths for Harutyunyan’s friends and sought a five-year jail sentence for his son Shahen.
