14:05, 9 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. The woman suspected of attempting to kidnap Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s son Ashot Pashinyan has fired her defense lawyers.

Georgy Melikyan, a criminal defense lawyer who represented Gayane Hakobyan – the woman accused of attempted kidnapping of Ashot Pashinyan – told reporters that her client no longer wants to be represented by him due to a dispute on how to build the defense case. “This was our client’s desire, we respect her decision,” Melikyan said.

Hovsep Sargsyan, another criminal defense lawyer who represented Hakobyan, said that their most recent motion filed to court pertains to granting bail for their jailed client. “The court is taking measures to assign a new lawyer, we are no longer authorized to represent her in this case,” Sargsyan added.

The attorneys said that they wanted to build Hakobyan's defense case around vindication, while Hakobyan herself had a differing opinion. The lawyers did not elaborate.

Asked whether or not the move could mean that Hakobyan will plead guilty, Melikyan said: “Perhaps your assumption is correct, but we haven’t’ said such thing.”

The attorneys also said that Ashot Pashinyan had a change of stance in his testimony at the closed court hearing, but again did not elaborate.

Hakobyan, a mother of an Armenian soldier killed during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, was on suspicion of attempting to kidnap Ashot Pashinyan on May 17.

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