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Shant Harutyunyan: I have nothing against Mnatsakan Martirosyan (video)

Politics
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The Court of Criminal Appeals of the Republic of Armenia continued the appeal hearing on the case of “Shant Harutyunyan and his Friends.” On November 5, 2013, a clash between the police and a group of protesters near Mashtots Avenue in Yerevan resulted in the arrest of the leader of the Tseghakron party, Shant Harutyunyan, and 13 other citizens. They were accused of applying dangerous and non-dangerous violence in relation to representatives of authorities. Before the November 5, 2013 clash Harutyunyan had been on a sit-in strike for several days in Liberty Square under the slogan of “I am starting a revolution”. The trial of “Shant Harutyunyan and his friends” lasted for a year and ended on October 17, 2014 with Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan sentencing Shant Harutyunyan, his underage son and 12 other friends to prison terms ranging from 1 to 7 years. Speaking at today’s court session, Shant Harutyunyan announced once again that they had been imprisoned by the order of Russia, namely Vladimir Putin. Harutyunyan said he did not commit any hooliganism, he only defended himself and his homeland which was being torn apart. He also said he did not have any expectations from the Court: he knows that judges cannot announce a different verdict. In the meantime, the judges of the Court of Appeals urged Harutyunyan to substantiate his complaints of Mnatsakan Martirosyan, the judge of the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork Marash administrative districts who sentenced the leader of the Tseghakron party, to 6 years in prison. “I have nothing against Mnatsakan Martirosyan. It was he who advised me to appeal the verdict,” said Harutyunyan. The next court sitting is slated for January 30.