CHALLANGE MADE AGAINST JUDGE PRESIDING OVER CASE FILED AGAIST ZHIRAIR
SEFILIAN

YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The July 2 court hearing of the case
filed against Zhirair Sefilian, the coordinator of the non-governmental
civil initiative "In defence of the liberated territories", was
interrupted as the defensive side declared that he had submitted a
statement to Jora Vardanian, the Chairman of the Court of First
Instance of the Kentron and Nork-Marash communities in Yerevan,
concerning the challange made against Mnatsakan Martirosian, the judge
presiding over this case, in a definitive way.

The representatives of the initiative organized an action of protest in
front of the building of the court before the beginning of the court
hearing. According to them, the case that is being heard in court is
not a criminal one at all, and Zhirair Sefilian, Vardan Malkhasian, and
Vahan Aroyan are political prisoners. Irrespective of the fact that a
great number of arms was discovered in the house of the latter, the
participants of the action of protest believe that they would not
detain Vahan Aroyan if he were not acquainted with Zhirair Sefilian.

The following hearing is set for July 6.
From: Baghdasarian