Epress.am News from Armenia
Inessa Petrosyan, attorney of jailed Armenian oppositionist, political prisoner Shant Harutyunyan, his minor son Shahen Harutyunyan, and political activist Vardan Vardanyan, has filed an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over the prison sentences handed down by Armenian courts.
Ara Zakaryan, lawyer of another convict in the case Armen Hovhannisyan, told Epress.am he also intended to appeal the verdict against his client to the ECHR. As stated by the attorney, a number of articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, among them – freedom of expression, freedom to assembly, and right to a fair trial – were violated in the course of the trial.
Recall, Shant Harutyunyan and 11 other men were arrested November 2013 in clashes with Armenian police during an anti-government demonstration. On October 17, 2014, the Kentron and Nork Marash District Court found Shant Harutyunyan and his supporters guilty for acts of hooliganism and handed down sentences ranging from 1 to 7 years. Shant Harutyunyan, specifically, was sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment, Vardan Vardanyan – to 5 years', Armen Hovhannisyan – 2 years'.
Shant Harutyunyan's minor son, Shahen Harutyunyan received a suspended 4-year sentence.