ACCORDING TO EUROPEAN COURT, RA CITIZEN IMPRISONED FOR 10 YEARS IS DEPRIVED OF RIGHT OF FAIR TRIAL: CASE NOT RECONSIDERED AFTER FACT OF TORTURE CERTIFIED

Noyan Tapan
Jun29, 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The seven judges, with M. Zupanchich at
the head, of the European Court of Human Rights delivered a judgement
on June 28, according to which, Misha Haroutiunian, an RA citizen, who
was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment on the charge of killing his
fellow serviceman, has been deprived of the right of a fair trial. A
decision was also made concerning moral damage compensation within
the limits of four thousand euros.

Hayk Alumian, the lawyer of M. Haroutiunian, informed a Noyan Tapan
correspondent that the above-mentioned decision of the European
Court gives an opportunity to submit an application to the RA Court
of Appeal on criminal cases and claim a "not guilty" verdict on the
basis of this new circumstance. The lawyer can make use of this right
during three months.

It should also be mentioned that M. Haroutiunian was condemned
to ten years of imprisonment on the charge of killing his fellow
serviceman on December 4, 1998 by the verdict passed by the Court of
First Instance of the Syunik region on June 19, 2002. After serving
2/3 of his sentence, M. Haroutiunian was set free. In parallel with
the trial of this case, the court also heard the criminal case filed
against collaborators of the Military Police.

According to this case, M. Haroutiunian and the two fellow servicemen
who gave evidence against him were submitted to torture by the
collaborators of the police. However, the assertion of the fact
concerning torture did not become a basis for the RA Court of Appeal
on criminal and military cases to reconsider the criminal case filed
against M. Haroutiunian.