ARMENIAN EX-FOREIGN MIN, 6 OTHERS FACES TRIAL OVER UNREST

EasyBourse.com
Dec 17 2008
France

YEREVAN, Armenia (AFP)–Seven top Armenian opposition supporters,
including an ex-foreign minister, will go on trial Friday on charges
of seeking to overthrow the government in unrest this year that left
10 dead.

Prosecutors allege former foreign minister Alexander Arzumanian, three
members of parliament and two other government critics were seeking to
"usurp state power" when they organized mass protests in February.

Thousands of supporters of former Armenian president Levon
Ter-Petrosian rallied for 11 days to denounce President Serzh
Sarkisian’s victory in elections, before street battles broke out
with riot police.

Two police officers and eight civilians were killed in the clashes
and dozens more were injured, many from gunshot wounds. Ter-Petrosian
had finished second in the vote.

Critics allege the prosecution is politically motivated and aimed at
stamping out opposition to Sarkisian in the ex-Soviet republic.

Arzumanian, Armenia’s foreign minister from 1996 to 1998, was
Ter-Petrosian’s election campaign manager.

The chief investigator in the case, Vahan Harutunian, said the evidence
against the accused was extensive and prosecutors had interviewed
more than 500 witnesses.

"There is ample evidence to support the case, otherwise it would not
have been sent to court," he said. "Even if they are politicians,
they committed a crime, there is evidence of that and they are legally
responsible. Everyone is equal before the law."

But lawyer Hovik Arsenian, who represents Arzumanian and two other
defendants, said the evidence against his clients was weak and he
had no hope of getting an objective hearing.

"This is an imitation of a court case," he said. "All of the so-called
evidence in this case in fact proves the opposite – the innocence
of my clients…it is obvious that this case has nothing to do with
criminal justice."

The defendants each face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

More than 140 people were arrested following the violence and 52 have
already been tried and received prison sentences of varying lengths.