Tigran Araqelyan: Getting an Acquittal is a Matter of Principle

The prosecuting attorney at the Court of Appeal continues to argue that the Armenian National Congress (HAK) activists are guilty. Tigran Araqelyan gave presiding Judge Eva Darbinyan a copy of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia.

Recall, Araqelyan has been sentenced to six years in prison (two of which he has already served in pre-trial detention) for allegedly attacking officers near Swan Lake in central Yerevan in August 2011. Three other HAK activists — Artak Karapetyan, Sargis Gevorgyan, and David Kiramijyan — were also charged; however, they were released pending trial.

Closing remarks were heard in court today. The last person to speak were the defendants, their attorney Stepan Voskanyan, and prosecuting attorney Hakob Martirosyan. 

The activists and their attorney demanded a fair ruling, since, according to them, it was proven during the appeals stage that the charges were fabricated.

The defense attorney noted that although there were violations also in the appeals court proceedings, the evidence heard is enough to prove the lack of corpus delicti and that the defendents must be absolved of guilt.

The defendant David Kiramijyan also demanded to launch criminal proceedings against police officer Shahen Harutyunyan, named as a victim in the case, for lying in court.

The prosecuting attorney, Martirosyan, in his closing remarks noted that he was opposed to appealing the case and believes that the defendants' guilt is proven. In his remarks he cited accused Artak Karapetyan's testimony in which he said that on the day of the incident they approached the police and a citizen, which Karapetyan asked to be recorded as a witness. Referring to the law, the attorney noted that witnesses are not recorded on a volunteer basis; such requests must be submitted to the police. 

The prosecutor opined that one of the causes of the altercation between activists and the police was that the latter called the HAK activists "Levonakan" [a term given to supporters of HAK, whose leader is Levon Ter-Petrossian], but, he said, there was nothing offensive in the term. Martirosyan petitioned to release Karapetyan under amnesty, while asking for probation for Kiramijyan. Recall, the prosecutor asked for probation for Kiramijyan also in the lower court, but Judge Gagik Poghosyan assigned a heavier penalty — two years in prison.

In his closing remarks Tigran Araqelyan said being acquitted (instead of being released under amnesty) is a matter of principle. "I will find freedom only in a fair ruling," he said, before presenting the judge with the Criminal Procedure Code. 

The verdict will be made public on Monday.