Shant Harutyunyan Won’t Appeal Court Decision to Imprison Him

Detained during clashes with riot police in Yerevan on Nov. 5, Shant Harutyunyan will not be appealing the two-month pre-trial detention the court handed down last week. Harutyunyan conveyed this news himself to Artur Sakunts, the head of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor office and member of a group that monitors prisons in Armenia, reports RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun). Harutyunyan is charged under RA Criminal Code Article 316 Section 2 ("violence against a representative of the authorities").

Speaking to Sakunts, Harutyunyan explained that it is not legal but political actions that are being carried out against him and his imprisonment is the result of a political decision; therefore, appealing the court decision to detain him is pointless.

"Harutyunyan, based on the logic of his political activities, is preparing to present everything in court," said Sakunts. 

According to Sakunts, Harutyunyan says that his being held behind bars was intentional: for him to be imprisoned until Russian President Vladimir Putin's planned visit in December — in order to suppress any political activism. 

Sakunts witnessed the traces of violence on Harutyunyan's hands. Recall, Harutyunyan had told opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan last week that RA Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan had personally used force against him. 

Sakunts said that after his meeting yesterday, it is obvious to him that the police chief hit Harutyunyan. A few members of the police chief's entourage did the same thing, and, according to the human rights activist, criminal proceedings against Vladimir Gasparyan should be launched.

Details in the Azatutyun video below.