Trial of former Armenian Deputy Defense Minister adjourned again: Shirkhanyan denied stretcher (video)
The trial of persons charged with abetting a criminal gang uncovered by Armenian law enforcement in November 2015 has been adjourned at Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Court for a third time as former Deputy Minister of Defense, Vahan Shirkhanyan, was unable to attend the court hearing because of health problems, A1+’s journalist reports from the court. Judge Armen Bektashyan read out a letter from the prison, saying that Shirkhanyan had refused to leave his cell. Shirkhanyan’s lawyer, Hayk Alumyan said that his client did not refuse to participate in the court hearing; he simply needs to be carried to the court on a stretcher. Lawyer Inessa Petrosyan petitioned the court to adjourn the hearing for an hour and bring Shirkhanyan on a stretcher but the judge neglected the petition, postponing the trial until January 27.
