ARZUMANIAN’S DETENTION PROLONGED FOR TWO MONTHS

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[03:28 pm] 19 May, 2008

Today women gathered in front of the RoA Appellate Court chanted
"Free Alik," "Free and Independent Armenia" for two hours. Meanwhile,
the Appellate Court rejected Advocate Hovhannes Arsenian’s claim
and decided to prolong Arzumanian’s term of detention for another
two months.

Advocate Hovhannes Arsenian had requested the Court to change the
restraint for a pawn as there are such precedents in the court
practice. The Court considered the Advocate’s claim during a closed
sitting.

"Alexandre Arzumanian was chased in 2007 as well. But he wasn’t
detained then," the said indignant advocate.

"They know quite well that Arzumanian has committed no crime. Courts
are fully defamed in Armenia. People no longer trust them. The
authorities show by their steps that they control courts." H

Hovhannes Arsenian is going to appeal to the European Court of
Human Rights.

On learning the Court decision the women gathered in the yard began
shouting "Shame on you!"

"Everything is clear. Our courts execute the orders of their
Excellencies Serzh Sarkissian and Robert Kocharian. Real criminals
are in freedom while innocent people are imprisoned," said a woman.

Arzumanian’s wife Melissa Brown wasn’t taken aback by the decision. "I
am confident that all political prisoners will be set free by
a political decision as they are detained for their political
dissent. Today’s court sitting was a farce, a circus show. Everybody
knows who the real lawbreakers are. The political prisoners are simply
punished for loving their country.

The participants of the Armenian women movement directed to the court
of general jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash communities to
hear the verdicts of the other political prisoners.