“Whose Skirt were You Behind When We Were Fighting?” Karabakh War Veterans Ask Judge

During today's trial in the case of Karabakh War veteran Volodya Avetisyan, the prosecutor, reading out loud Avetisyan's phone bill, had difficulty reading one of the words: Presiding Judge Levon Avetisyan, who until then had asked for attendees to be silent in court and not disrupt the court process, prompted the prosecutor on what word he was supposed to read, reports the Epress.am correspondent in the courtroom. 

After the judge's prompting, some of the war veterans in the courtroom chuckled and began to whisper among themselves, leading the judge to interrupt the trial and ask who was laughing. Not receiving a reply from the gallery, the judge said: "You cannot hide behind a woman's skirt. You are men — tell me, who laughed."

Again, there was no reply, and the judge continued to make similar statements addressed to the war veterans. 

Finally, one of the war veterans addressing the judge, said: "Whose skirt were you behind when we were fighting at war?"

After the incident, some of the war veterans left the room. The Epress.am correspondent reported that the judge first asked those present to leave the room, then he himself left. 

Those present believe the judge should apologize; otherwise, they will appeal to the Council of Justice, saying that the judge does not adhere to the position he holds and ask for his recusal. 

Currently, those attending today's trial are waiting for the judge's decision.