APPEALS COURT REJECTS RECUSAL MOTION BY PASHINYAN’S LAWYER
Arman Gharibyan

2010/03/03 | 12:25

court

Mother of slain Karabakh freedom-fighter rips up photo of President
Sargsyan in court

At today’s appeals proceeding to review the case of jailed Haykakan
Zhamanak editor Nikol Pashinyan, defense lawyer Lusineh Sahakyan
introduced a motion calling for the three judge panel to recuse itself,
arguing that they were prejudiced. After a fifteen minute recess,
the court denied the motion.

Attorney Sahakyan argued that all three judges Serzhik Avetisyan,
Simonyan and Khachatryan had a tainted record as they had participated
in several March 1 appeals cases and had determined that those indicted
had indeed been guilty of serious law violations. Mrs.

Sahakyan noted that Pashinyan was also indicted on the same charges,
Part 1, Article 225, of the RoA Criminal Code, and thus, the court
wasn’t capable of conducting a fair and impartial trial of her client.

"You have sentenced clearly innocent people and have assisted in the
political persecution of others," stated the attorney.

Nikol Pashinyan said in court that he had expected the judges to
reject the recusal motion. "Judges in our court system decide nothing
independently, thus I react to the serious demeanour on your faces
philosophically," he said.

Meanwhile, Prosecuting Attorney Koryun Piloyan argued that the motion
to recuse was baseless and purely a politically inspired declaration.

Once the judges had read out the motion denial, Mrs. Parandzem,
a mother of a slain Karabakh freedom-fighter, stood up in court and
publicly tore up a photo of President Serzh Sargsyan. She yelled out,
"If you are carrying out orders, then here’s one for you to chew
over." The woman was escorted from the court by bailiffs.