"THIS LUDICROUS STORY HAS NO PRECEDENT"

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08:07 pm | June 15, 2009 | Politics

"This ludicrous story has no precedent," NA MP Miasnik Malkhasyan
charged under the last year’s post-election unrest said on June 15.

Miasnik Malkhasyan considers the case as groundless and preposterous
and says it is a mere a political order.

"All political prisoners are innocent and are illegally kept in
jail for 1.3 year. The criminal case is hence politicized. I am
prosecuted on alleged charges – attempts to upset the constitutional
order. During the whole trial the prosecutor acted illegally and
unlawfully,"announced the defendant.

Miasnik Malkhasyan refuted all alleged contacts with Alexander
Arzumanyan, Nikol Pashinyan, Hakob Hakobyan and Sasun Mikaelyanm
charged with calls for mass disorders.

"The most immoral charges are the ten assassinations ascribed to
us. This is the cruelest accusation bound upon us."

The defendant recalled his speech made from the NA rostrum: "I said
that we would be tried one day for our participation in the Artsakh
war. People laughed at me then but as you see the day has come."

Miasnik Malkhasyan concluded his speech with the following words:
"Anyway, I am not a pessimist and I believe that things will still
better and I shall be acquitted."

Today’s court sitting was attended by Heritage MPs Anahit Bakhshyan
and Stepan Safaryan. Mrs. Bakhshyan said she would willingly bear
testimony on the March 1 occurrences.

Miasnik Malkhasyan is scheduled to make a final speech on June 16.