GEORGIAN COURT SENTENCES VAHAGN CHAKHALYAN TO 10 YEARS

court important diaspora
2009/04/07 | 23:28

Sentences were handed down yesterday in the trial of Vahagn Chakhalyan,
head of the "United Javakhk" alliance. Also sentenced were his father
and younger brother.

The court found Vahagn Chakhalyan guilty on all counts (illegal
weapons possession, organizing public disturbances, resisting arrest)
and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

His father, Ruben Chakhalyan, was found guilty of illegal arms
possession and participating in mass public disturbances and was
fined 5,000 lari ($3,000). Armen Chakhalyan, Vahagn’s brother, was
found guilty of arms possession and fined 2,000 lari ($1,200).

The Chakhalyan defense team intends to appeal all three sentences
in a higher court and even take the case to the European Court of
Human Rights.

In the meantime, the "Yerkir Union" has called on organizations in
Armenia and the Diaspora to raise their voices in protest over this
politically motivated show trail and has urged international legal
bodies to call on the Georgian authorities to respect accept norms
of jurisprudence and to halt its anti-Armenian policies in Javakh.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress