TRIAL ON "CASE OF SEVEN" POSTPONED WITH MOTIVATION OF DEFENDANTS’ TREATING COURT WITH DISREGARD
NOYAN TAPAN
Dec 23, 2008
YEREVAN
The trial on the "case of the seven" that was to continue on December
23 at Yerevan Shengavit community court was again postponed without
being resumed.
Judge Mnatsakan Martirosian presiding over at the sitting explained
the fact that the court sitting started 40 minutes late saying that
one of the defendants, Grigor Voskerchian had health problems. As
G. Voskerchian’s lawyer Stepan Voskanian told journalists afterwards,
the defendant had been beaten in the prison cell. According to
the lawyer, in the morning the same day 4 employees of the special
detachment of the criminal punishments execution department entered the
prison cell of Nubarashen penitentiary institution where G. Voskerchian
is kept. All prisoners except G. Voskerchian were brought out on the
pretext of examining the cell. The special detachment head learning
from the latter that he is accused on the "case of the seven" beat
him hitting him for several times in the face and ear. The defendant
suffering from beating demanded undergoing medical examination.
Before the court sitting started the defendants tried to make a
statement on the incident, but the judge, who had publicized provisions
of the law on manners during the court sitting before, announced thirty
minutes’ break for defendants’ shouting from their seats and hindering
the trial. However the sitting did not take place in thirty minutes,
either. For not meeting the court standing up and therefore treating
it with disregard judge M. Martirosian sent the defendants away from
the hall postponing the court sitting until December 27. He said that
these 4 days will not be included in the defendants’ imprisonment term,
and that decision is not subject to appeal.
Before the sitting the most part of defendants’ relatives were
sent away from the court hall with the motivation of lack of vacant
seats. The men taking those seats in advance behaved aggressively
and refused to introduce themselves saying that they are the
aggrieved, while special seats were intended for the aggrieved at
the court. Journalists being at the court recognized employees of
Kentron Police station among those "aggrieved."
Mass media representatives were also sent away from the hall. A room
had been intended for them on the second floor with the motivation
of creating more favorable conditions for their work, where they had
a possibility to follow the trial on TV. The journalists were also
prohibited to even conduct interviews outside the hall.
After the sitting break the defendants’ lawyers stated that the
incidents in the court hall are a regular provocation organized by the
authorities, the executor of which was judge M. Martirosian. According
to lawyer Hovik Arsenian, the authorities have ordered him to drag
out the start of the trial as far as possible, as all accusations
on the "case of the seven" will be refuted. Besides, by postponing
the sitting the judge did not permit to make a statement on violence
against G. Voskerchian. According to the latter’s lawyer, a crime
has been committed, about which the RA Prosecutor General will be
informed the same day.