THE ADVOCATES DIDN’T APPEAR IN THE COURTROOM

A1+
[05:35 pm] 18 April, 2006

They Were On Strike

The trial of the defendants Razmik Sargsyan, Musa Serobyan and Arajik
Zajyan who are on hunger – strike for already 7 days was resumed
today in the Court of Appeal on Criminal and Martial issues. They
were hardly taken to the courtroom; they looked very weak and sick.

The trial was soon interrupted as the three advocates of the defendants
were not present in the courtroom.

The judge Mher Arghamanyan demanded the trial to be interrupted for
an hour so as they could find the reason of their absence.

While the participants of the trial waited for the trial resumption the
parents of the accused boys launched an appeal in front of the building
with the following posters, “The murders in the army are determined
by the fact that real murderers are not punished,” “Stop you illegal
steps, Court Martial Prosecutor” etc. They cried with loudspeakers,
“There are illegal cases in the army. Two innocent boys were killed
in the army and now our innocent sons are accused of their murder
instead of the real guilty ones.”

The courtroom was again full after the break but the advocates were
not present. The judge informed the people present that they phoned
the Advocates’ Union and spoke to the Chairman Ruben Sahakyan about
the current situation in the courtroom. The latter answered that the
two advocates were in the courtroom.

Mher Arghamanyan asked one of the court workers to ask them in but the
latter returned and said, “They refuse to work in such conditions. They
won’t return unless their mediations are taken into account.” “I
have never countered such a scene when the advocates gather in front
of the court and launch an appeal. The court is powerless; I cannot
make them come here. Even the Union Chairman cannot do it,” claimed
the judge. The representative of the accuser Anahit Eghazaryan said,
“I am astonished that they speak with an ultimatum with the court. This
is a way of exerting pressure. I have been working in this sphere
for 22 years and have never seen such a thing.”

The trial was resumed without the advocates.