Opposition Activist Protests in Court, Holds Sign Implying Court is Doing President’s Bidding

At today’s trial of Armenian National Congress (HAK) activist Tigran Araqelyan, another HAK activist, Areg Gevorgyan, held up a poster that read “Serzh’s stooge court” implying that the court is simply doing Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s bidding.

Following this display, Judge Gagik Poghosyan asked Gevorgyan to leave the courtroom.

As reported by the Epress.am correspondent at the court, Gevorgyan held up his sign immediately after the judge walked into the room. Tigran Araqelyan’s supporters are displeased with the judge’s decision in the court session before last in which he didn’t allow Araqelyan to attend the court sessions. Note, just as last time, so too today, Araqelyan was brought to the court building but was not allowed in the courtroom.

Araqelyan’s attorney, Vahe Grigoryan, today made a motion to disqualify and withdraw the judge in which he states that a sanction on the accused not to attend the court sessions is imposed “with the aim of judicial reckoning toward political opponents.”

The attorney is placing into doubt the judge’s impartiality to the case, explaining that there was no explanation for the judge’s Jan. 31 decision to impose sanctions on his client.

To express his opinion on the motion, prosecutor Hakob Martirosyan asked for half an hour, after which he said that the motion is unfounded and should be rejected. The prosecutor added that if Grigoryan put himself in the judge’s shoes, he too would apply this sanction against Araqelyan.

After retiring to his consultation chambers for an hour, the judge rejected the motion. The next court session is set for Feb. 14 at 3 pm.

Recall, on Aug. 9, 2011, seven youth from the opposition bloc were detained after an incident with police near Yerevan’s Swan Lake. The next day they were arrested, while four — Areg and Vahagn Gevorgyan, David Kiramijyan and Sahak Muradyan — were released on Aug. 12 and then two more — Artak Karapetyan and Sargis Gevorgyan — were released later. The only one still detained is Tigran Araqelyan.