Suspect in Alleged Takeover Plot Did Not Testify against Sefilyan, Lawyers Say

Nerses Poghosyan, one of the suspects arrested as part of the Armenian law enforcement forces’ investigation into the alleged takeover plot initiated by New Armenia and Founding Parliament opposition movements’ leading member Zhirayr Sefilyan, did not testify against the opposition leader, Poghosyan’s lawyers, Arayik Papikyan and Nina Karapetyan, said today, commenting on media reports, according to which, charges against Sefilyan were based mainly on Poghosyan’s testimonies. 

“[Nerses Poghosyan] has not testified either against Sefilyan or against any of the other detainees; moreover, he has so far been refusing to testify, and those media reports are therefore untrue,” Poghosyan’s legal team said in a video issued Friday.

Nina Karapetyan noted that Armenia’s Investigative Committee was deliberately spreading lies about Poghosyan in an attempt to defame him for refusing to cooperate with the investigation. “It’s a way to intimidate our client which has been practiced [by law enforcement authorities] for a long,” the lawyer said.

Note, Sefilyan, along with 8 other suspects, was formally charged with article 235.2 of the Armenian Criminal Code (illegal purchase, transportation or carrying of weapons, ammunition, explosives or explosive devices, committed by a group with prior agreement). If convicted, the men could face up to 6 years in jail.