One million dollars to be offered for Garo Yeghnukian's release (video)
The lawyer and relatives of activist Garo Yeghnukian are determined to have him released. Tomorrow the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan’s Kanaker-Zeytun administrative districts will consider the motion to review Yeghnukian’s detention. "The charges against him are absurd. He is accused of disseminating and publishing information, organizing rallies and the like. These are all rights which must be protected by the state, while in fact, the state files charges against him,” says lawyer Tigran Hayrapetyan. Garo Yeghnukian is charged with aiding the armed Sasna Dzrer group that seized a police station in Yerevan in July. Lawyer Tigran Hayrapetyan says during the court hearing they will produce sufficient evidence to demand the activist's release. “We are ready to offer a bail in the amount of one million dollars,” the lawyer said. Yeghnukian’s supporters say they have weighty facts which the court cannot simply neglect. A number of international organizations, human rights activsits, lawmakers, two former human rights defenders and U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Richard M. Mills, have called for Yeghnukian’s release. Tigran Hayrapetyan is convinced that these facts are enough to have the activist released. “… and if the court decides to keep Yeghnukian in custody after all this, it will prove that the arrest is political motivated,” the lawyer said. The court sitting is slated for October 6.
