Epress.am News from Armenia
Nerses Poghosyan, a Nubarashen prisoner who was arrested eight months ago on suspicion of having taken part in the alleged coup plot initiated by New Armenia and Founding Parliament opposition movements leading member Zhirayr Sefilyan, has today ended the dry hunger strike he had gone on 6 days ago to demand bail, his lawyer, Arayik Papikyan, said in a conversation with Epress.am.
According to the lawyer, the prisoner has recently been in a severe health state; “It’s good that he decided to end the hunger strike; I don’t think he would have lasted hours otherwise: he was having blackouts when speaking.”
Papikyan said that he has already challenged the recent court decision to extend his client’s detention period at both the Appeals and Cassataion courts; at the same time, the lawyer intends to lodge a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights on February 6.
The office of Armenia’s human rights ombudsman has also issued a statement regarding Poghosyan’s health; it said that the prisoner told in a private conversation with the Ombudsman’s staffers that he was going to stop the hunger strike because his health had deteriorated sharply the night before. The statement added that Poghosyan has already been examined by doctors and has received recommendations on a proper diet.