Epress.am News from Armenia
Tsovinar Nazaryan, sister of rifle platoon commander Artak Nazaryan, who died on Jul. 27, 2010, her representative Ruben Martirosyan and attorney Mushegh Shushanyan on Tuesday participated in the trial held in Idjevan; however, after the judge’s ruling they boycotted the session and left the courtroom.
Recall, the defense ministry claims that Artak’s death was a suicide; however, an autopsy and physical examination of the body conducted later revealed traces of violence on his face and body, inflicted upon the platoon commander 6 hours before his death. A case is underway to uncover the circumstances surrounding his death.
Judge Samvel Mardanyan said he received a notice in writing from an important witness in the case, Arman Mnatsakanyan, saying that the latter cannot attend the court sessions as he is ill. The witness also asked that the court accept his previous testimony. This news was conveyed to Epress.am by Arman Veziryan, a representative of the Yerevan-based Helsinki Association for Human Rights, which is closely following the case.
Recall, the attorney representing Artak’s family, Mushegh Shushanyan, last month had predicted such a scenario would occur. The witness not being examined in court reinforces the victim’s family and its representatives’ belief that he is being pressured and intimidated by power-wielding officials. It’s important to note, in the early days of the trial, Mnatsakanyan was consistently escorted to the courtroom first by military police (when he was still in the service) and then by civilian police (after he completed his mandatory two-year service).
In court on Feb. 14, Shushanyan said that if the judge makes public the witness’ pre-trial testimony then the victim party won’t participate in the trial.
“The court is not a notary office, that it doesn’t examine the witness and publishes its pre-trial testimony. This already proves that the judge confirms the incriminatory inference,” he said.
The judge, nevertheless, granted the witness’ request, to which the victim party left the courtroom.
The prosecution was opposed to the court session continuing without the other party, but the judge continued the trial.
Note as well, Hrant Gevorgyan, attorney to Hakob Manukyan, late last year motioned for the Judge Samvel Mardanyan to withdraw on the grounds that he is not impartial, as well as the fact that he moved the court sessions from Yerevan to Ijevan, to which all parties were opposed. However, the judge overruled the motion.
Earlier, Tsovinar Nazaryan had informed Epress.am that at court on Dec. 14, 2011, Mnatsakanyan said it was the investigator who wrote his pre-trial testimony, but he (Mnatsakanyan) dictated what to write.
“Despite this, the witness was unable to explain several words used in his [written] testimony, and instead of his left forearm [as written] he pointed to his back. Several times the witness insisted that the murder took place not on Jul. 27, as noted in the official version, but one day before — on the 26th. He also argued that before the murder, battalion commander Misha Gabrielyan got up to the base — the same man who the investigation insisted was on vacation during the entire time… The witness also said that after the incident, he was taken to the military police station in the city of Berd and kept there for 23 days. Mnatsakanyan’s testimonies [in court] contradicted one another, as well as to his pre-trial testimony,” said the victim’s party, believing that the witness is being pressured by the authorities.