Epress.am News from Armenia
The Court of First Instance of Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun Administrative Districts of Yerevan presided over by Judge Levon Avetisyan at around 6 pm on July 17 recognized Karabakh War veteran, Reserve Colonel Volodya Avetisyan (pictured, and no relation) as guilty of fraud and attempted fraud and sentenced him to 6 years in prison.
According to the indictment, Avetisyan received $2,000 from Henrikh Zakaryan to exempt his grandson from compulsory military service and attempted to receive $500 from Albert Matosyan to transfer his son to another military unit. Avetisyan's attorney, Ara Zakaryan, said the ruling will be appealed.
Prior to the verdict being announced, Avetisyan made a final speech in court.
"That I am in the defendant's chair is the fault of the regime," he said, urging Armenians around the world to return and stand up for their homeland and not allow the ruling authorities who are "subject to the Turks" to leave Armenia without Armenians.
After the defendant's final speech, the court went to the consultation room to prepare the verdict. During that time, Avetisyan's supporters in the courtroom began to shout, "Hero! Hero!"
During the entire trial, Avetisyan did not admit to the charges; moreover, he repeatedly said the charges against him are a result of political persecution, as he was one of the organizers of protests by war veterans demanding better treatment and improved social conditions. In one court session, Avetisyan said that after one of the protests to improve the social conditions of war veterans he was warned that he will be framed.
In parliament on March 12, Armenian National Congress MP Nikol Pashinyan said that Avetisyan's arrest was politically motivated.