Epress.am News from Armenia
The Tseghakron Party Leader, political prisoner Shant Harutyunyan and his friends have appealed to the Court of Cassation demanding aqquital, said Harutyunyan's lawyer Inessa Petrosyan to Epress.am. According to her, all 14 citizens have appealed the Court of Appeals verdict.
Recall, that on February 2, the Court of Appeals left the Kentron and Nork Marash District Court of First Instance Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan's verdict unchanged. The court found Harutyunyan and his friends guilty of hooliganism during a November 5, 2013, protest. Albert Margaryan and Vahe Mkrtchyan were also found guilty for using violence against a representative of the authorities.
Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan sentenced Shant Harutyunyan to 6 years imprisonment, Albert Margaryan also received 6 years, Vahe Mkrtchyan 7 years, Liparit Poghosyan 5 years, Vardan Vardanyan 5 years, Hayk Harutyunyan 4 years 6 months, Alek Poghosyan 4 years, Mkrtich Hovhannisyan 4 years, Armen Hovhannisyan 2 years, Sevak Mnatsakanyan 1 years 6 months, Tigran Petrosyan 1 year, and Misak Arakelyan was fined fifty times the minimum salary.
The defendants do not admit guilt, noting that there were provocateurs and that plainclothes police officers incited the conflict during the rally. Several local human rights activists and international organizations recognized the men as political prisoners.