Don't you take Serzh Sargsyan's words for granted? (video)
During today’s court hearing in the case of political activist Shant Harutyunyan and his friends, the court heard the defendants' defense speeches. Attorney Inessa Petrosyan petitioned the court to invite Serzh Sargsyan to court as a witness in the case. “Don’t you take the president’s words for granted?” said defendant Vardan Vardanyan. His words were welcomed by a round of applause. Attorney Hovhannes Kocharyan, who represents the interests of defendants Vahe Mkrtchyan, Albert Margaryan and Misak Arakelyan, to reread Article 258 of the Criminal Code and bring in a fair verdict. 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. The Harutyunyan accused of “plotting a revolution” was 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.
