EDGAR ARAKELYAN STANDS TRIAL

A1 Plus | 20:48:26 | 25-05-2004 | Politics |

Trial of Armenia’s Lusakert town resident Edgar Arakelyan, 24, started
Tuesday at Center Nork-Marash first instance court in Yerevan. He
is charged with participating in unauthorized rally on April 12 and
beating a policeman with an empty plastic bottle.

The accused says he threw the bottle after being punched in his mouth
and losing teeth. He acted such a way only to defend himself from
the assault, Arakelyan said. Besides, he said he had no idea that
the attacker was a policeman as the latter was dressed as civilian.

Police officer Sahak Martirosyan, the victim, insists he was in
uniform. It should be noted, there was no light on the scene then –
Baghramyan Avenue was in darkness.

Calling on judges to show clemency toward the defendant, the policeman,
at the same time, persisted in saying that the bottle was full
of water.

It became clear at the hearing that the accused was forced to make
written confession that he beat the policeman in the head.

The prosecutor Ara Amirzadyan grounding on Arakelyan’s above-mentioned
forced confession offered to sentence him to two and a half years
in jail.

Defense attorney will speak tomorrow.