Court Did Not Accept as Evidence HAK Activist’s Torn Shirt

The court case of Armenian National Congress (HAK) youth activists Sargis Gevorgyan and David Kiramijyan continued today at the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron (Center) and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts.

Recall that Kiramijyan has been accused of “hooliganism” under Article 258 Section 1 Point 3 of Armenia’s Criminal Code, while Gevorgyan is being charged under Article 316 Section 1 for “violence against a representative of the authorities.”

Today, the defense attorneys produced four of its own witnesses — Arman Veziryan, Sargis Kloyan, Arakel Semirjyan and Vladimir Karapetyan —; however, the court partially granted the the motion, ruling that only Karapetyan could testify. 

While on the stand, Karapetyan described how he and a group of citizens, including Gevorgyan and Kiramijyan, attempted to enter Liberty Square, but were stopped by police, who, subjecting the activists to violence, pushed them toward the park surrounding Saryan’s statue.

“There would’ve been no incident and no problem if the police didn’t provoke [us] and, with its unlawful activities, restrict citizens’ movement,” said Karapetyan. 

Further, the witness said that despite police being violent with them, the youth showed quite a bit of restraint. Kiramijyan’s attorney, Melanya Arustamyan, presented to the court her client’s torn and dirty shirt and undershirt and motioned for them to be included as evidence in the case. The judge, however, overruled the motion. 

The prosecution, Harutyun Harutyunyan, said they don’t deny that Kiramijyan was subject to violence.

Today’s court session concluded the examination period of the case. The next session will move to the interrogation (or cross-examination) period.