GAGIK SHAMSHYAN – "I WON’T PAY ONE DRAM IN FINES"
Ararat Davtyan

hetq.am/en/court/gshamshyan-2/
2009/04/08 | 13:20

Court important

The trial of Gagik Shamshyan, a photo-journalist for the "Aravot"
and "Chorrord Ishkhanutyun" newspapers, continued today at the
Kentron and Nork-Marash district court. During the trial, lawyer for
the prosecution Levon Dzarkhifalakyan motioned the court to fine
Mr. Shamshyan in the amount of five hundred times his salary for
showing disrespect to the court.

Mr. Shamshyan noted, "This was the greatest surprise of the entire
trial for me. I really believed that before the elections they’d send
me on extended vacation. The regime would have gotten rid of me and
I from them."

Defense lawyer Hovik Arsenyan stated that he is convinced that had
Mr. Shamshyan not refused to offer testimony such political persecution
of his client wouldn’t have occured.

Mr. Shamshayn is accused of calling presiding Judge Gagik Avetisyan a
"cow" and a "dolt". The defendant called the accusations ridiculous and
pointed to the fact that according to the findings of the specialist
center which examined the taped recordings of the day in question,
such derogatory epithets weren’t usedMr. Shamshyan said he’d rather
see the money go to fund child orphanages and that he’d never pay
one dram in penalties for something he never committed. Stating he
was sure the court would find him guilty, Mr. Shamshyan said he was
ready to appeal the verdict.

The trial will continuue on April 15 at the request of defense
lawyer Hovik Arsenyan in order that he have time to prepare a defense
statement.