Passions Flare, Voices Raised: Judge Moves to Ban Tigran Araqelyan From His Own Trial

At the Armenian National Congress (HAK) youth activists’ trial today at a Yerevan district court, Judge Gagik Poghosyan imposed a sanction on defendant Tigran Araqelyan, banishing him from the courtroom.

Recall, on Aug. 9, 2011, seven youth from the opposition bloc were detained after an incident with police near Yerevan’s Swan Lake. The next day they were arrested, while four — Areg and Vahagn Gevorgyan, David Kiramijyan and Sahak Muradyan — were released on Aug. 12 and then two more — Artak Karapetyan and Sargis Gevorgyan — were released later. The only one still detained is Tigran Araqelyan.

Prior to Araqelyan being banned from the courtroom, police officer Shahen Harutyunyan, one of the victims named in the case, testified that he had filmed the Aug. 9 incident on his phone, and only after was he told that he had been hit on the back and thrown on the ground by Tigran Araqelyan.

Araqelyan’s attorney, Vahe Grigoryan, asked Harutyunyan whether filming with a mobile phone is part of police officers’ duties, to which the witness replied that he was filming for himself. Then he added, the phone with which he was filming, an iPhone 4, has since been lost.

Stepan Voskanyan, representing the three other HAK youth on trial, reminded the officer that previously he was insisting that when he arrived on the scene, he noticed the disorder and an uncontrollable situation, so why was the officer filming instead of fulfilling his duties? Voskanyan also asked whether this action might not have exacerbated the situation. Judge Poghosyan, however, objected to and removed the last question, to which Araqelyan stated out loud, “Because from the beginning the purpose was to make a case.” For this he was reprimanded by the judge.

The officer testified that he filmed those who were most “active,” including Tigran Araqelyan. One of the accused, Artak Karapetyan, noticed a discrepancy in the testimonies, asking then how could Araqelyan be behind him if he was filming him?

Judge Poghosyan likewise objected to and removed this question. Needless to say, the defense wasn’t too pleased with this. Vahe Grigoryan asked the judge what he fears in the victim’s responses that he’s constantly blocking questions by the accused, to which the judge said he has no fears.

The situation in the courtroom began to become more tense, the judge began speaking in a louder voice, removing yet another of Araqelyan’s questions, which resulted in the latter getting angry and loudly expressing his discontent, continuing to direct his questions to the officer on the stand.

The judge warned Araqelyan, promising to impose sanctions if necessary.

The trial continued in a similar fashion with the judge removing a question about the number associated with the aforementioned iPhone 4, which the accused party wanted to know.

This again cause the ire of not only Tigran Araqelyan, but also his supporters, after which the judge declared a recess.

After the recess, Poghosyan announced that Araqelyan will be removed from the courtroom. His attorney, Vahe Grigoryan, motioned to postpone the court session, explaining that his client had questions for the victim.

The attorney added that if the judge refuses his motion, he too will leave the courtroom. The judge, unfazed, refused the motion, and added that if Grigoryan leaves the courtroom the trial will be postponed, but a sanction will be applied on his client for the next court session.

“You cannot punish my client for my actions,” said Grigoryan, noting that he doesn’t consider it right to be in court without his client present, after which he left the courtroom.

The judge, as promised, postponed the trial, appointing it on Feb. 2 at 3 pm.