CHAKHALYAN RELEASED ON PROBATION

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 5 2006

"The Republic of Armenia is the homeland of all Armenians. I have
always stated and I am repeating that I have never and I will never
break the law but I will be struggling that the representatives of
the law act in accordance with it, because the law is for everyone,"
stated Vahagn Chakhalyan, a member of the United Javakheti Democratic
Alliance and the chair of the Javakheti Youth Sport and Culture
Society, during his trial on December 4.

The witnesses, Vahagn Chakhalyan’s mother Gayaneh Chakhalyan and friend
Gurgen Shirinyants, who arrived in Yerevan with Vahagn Chakhalyan
on October 10, said it is impossible to cross the Georgian-Armenian
border illegally, and if it is impossible to record false information
at the customs office, the car was registered at the customs office.

The witnesses said the target of this assault and arrest was Vahagn;
they wanted to keep Vahagn away from Javakheti. The court gave
Chakhalyan a 1.5 year probation sentence.