Yerevan Court Releases Opposition Activist on Bail of 3 Million Drams. Only Araqelyan Left

A Yerevan court today granted the release of opposition activists Sargis Gevorgyan and Artak Karapetyan, who were sentenced to a two-month pre-trial detention last week. Karapetyan was released on a bail of 3 million drams (about $8,100 USD). An application for the release of Tigran Araqelyan, who was detained along with Gevorgyan and Karapetyan, was not satisfied.

Sargis Gevorgyan’s attorney, Stepan Voskanyan, told reporters that he has already received the written decision by the court. Later, he had gone to Nubarashen penitentiary from where his client was to be released.

Recall, 4 of the 7 young opposition Armenian National Congress activists detained on Aug. 9 and arrested on Aug. 10 — Areg and Vahagn Gevorgyan, David Kiramijyan and Sahak Muradyan — were released on Aug. 12, while the court ruled on a two-month pre-trial detention for fellow activists Tigran Araqelyan, Artak Karapetyan and Sargis Gevorgyan.

Areg Gevorgyan, Sahak Muradyan, David Kiramijyan, Sargis Gevorgyan and Vahagn Gevorgyan were all charged with hooliganism (RA Criminal Code Artice 258), while Tigran Araqelyan and Artak Karapetyan are charged with violence against a representative of the authorities (RA Criminal Code Article 316).