EDIK BAGHDASARYAN ASSAULT TRIAL GETS UNDERWAY
Ararat Davtyan

-2/
2009/06/04 | 19:06

Court Media

Today, the trial got underway in the November 17, 2008 assault of
Hetq Chief Editor Edik Baghdasaryan.

Other than 20 year-old Karen Harutyunyan, law enforcement has yet
been unable to identify the two other individuals who attacked
Mr. Baghdasaryan as he left the Hetq offices in the evening on the
day in question.

Karen Harutyunyan not only denied participating in the attack but
refused to offer testimony. However, the preliminary investigative body
substantiated the charges against Mr. Harutyunyan, premeditated assault
by an individual or group resulting in medium level physical injury,
and the case was sent to the Kentron Nork-Marash District Court.

At today’s session, Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan presiding, Edik
Baghdasaryan and his son Tigran Baghdasaryan were questioned. Also
questioned was Karapet Atoyan, who works as a guard at the building
housing the Hetq offices. The latter two were called as witnesses
but their testimony didn’t have direct bearing on the case.

Satenik Amirbekyan, a suponead witness, failed to show up in court
without providing any forewarning.

Another material witness, Norayr Avetisyan, a prinicipal with the
military training academy, had notified the court that due to "family
matters" he would be outside the country as of June 2. He requested
that the court pardon his absence and use the testimony he previously
had given.

At the time of the incident, Mr. Avetisyan had been walking through the
area and its was the shots fired from his gun that sent the assailants
fleeing. He was the one who identified Karen Harutyunyan as a former
resident in his courtyard.

Mr. Harutyunyan’s defnse lawyer, Vahagn Manukyan, motioned the court
to arrange for Mr. Avetisyan to be present at the trial, describing
him as the principal witness. The court promised that it would notify
the two absent witnesses to be present at the nest session.

Judge Martirosyan asked Mr. Baghdasaryan if he could offer any concrete
evidence pointing to those responsible for organizing the attack.

Mr. Baghdasaryan replied that after the attack Karen’s mother came
to his house and said that she is Vardan Ayvazyan’s son’s doctor
and that the two boys regularly met each other. The Hetq editor said
that this started him to think that the attck might be linked to a
series of articles he had written reagrding the business dealings of
Vardan Ayvazyan.

Judge Mnatsakanyan then asked if Mr. Baghdasaryan was preparing to
ask for financial damages.

"I haven’t launched a civil case against the defendant. In general
I find it meaningless to punish Karen Harutyuyan, even if he was one
of the attackers, if those behind the assault are not to be exposed,"
said Mr. Baghdasaryan

The trial will continue on June 10 at 3:00 pm.