Epress.am News from Armenia
The RA Administrative Court of Appeal today considered the case of civil society activist Vardges Gaspari against the decision of the police. Recall, on June 4, 2013, police detained Gaspari after protesting outside Harsnaqar restaurant and decided to fine him 50,000 AMD (about $120 USD). In connection with the same incident, Gaspari was fined an additional 35,000 AMD ($85).
The application for the fine was filed by police employee Aida Demirkhanyan, who during the appeal of the decision in the Administrative Court was offended by Gaspari's remarks and demanded a compensation of 1 million AMD ($2,419).
In court today, Gaspari presented his appeal, but Demirkhanyan presented no response. "When the respondent doesn't provide a response, the court may find that the respondent admits the claim," Gaspari told Epress.am.
Demirkhanyan's silence Gaspari connects with the police employee being "ignorant and uneducated," adding that uneducated people are dependent upon others and easily fulfill the authorities' demands.
"The most important issue is that the judge confirmed the police claim, according to which we were a nuisance to participants of the wedding ceremony [that was happening at Harsnaqar while Gaspari was protesting]. The court used this as a basis for its conclusion, and this is nothing if not a manifesto of the declaration of human rights, where not causing a nuisance to participants of a wedding ceremony was preferred over conducting a public demonstration," said Gaspari.
The court examined Gaspari's appeal, where the four types of violations committed by the police were noted, and heard Demirkhanyan's remarks.
The verdict in this case will be announced on May 31.