Judge is Biased, Claims Lawyer Defending Young Murder Suspect

The term of the pre-trial detention of murder suspect Karen Kungortsev was once again extended. The court yet again did not take into account the defense motion.

The Lori District Court of First Instance presided over by Judge Varduhi Hovnanyan (pictured) began examining the motion to extend Kungortsev's detention by two months on April 4 and ended on April 7. The court session began with Kungortsev's attorney, Helsinki Association for Human Rights lawyer Arayik Papikyan submitting a petition for the judge's recusal. Papikyan explained that the investigator submitted 4 petitions for Kungortsev's arrest and continued imprisonment, which were examined by the same judge, Hovnanyan. The previous 3 requests were granted, even when the investigator presented no substantiated facts or evidence, being limited solely to legislative wording. 

The attorney mentioned in his petition that the court justifies the judicial act merely by legislative wording, which is not only insufficient, but also unacceptable for extending a person's term of imprisonment. Furthermore, Papikyan said, there is reasonable doubt that judge is not impartial specifically toward Kungortsev and has a biased attitude. This is the fourth time, the defense said, the judge has considered the investigator's petition on arrest, three of which contain practically the same content, not paying attention to this fact and sustaining the previous 3 petitions. 

Nevertheless, on April 7, the judge denied the petition for recusal, claiming that the judge has no bias or prejudice against the accused. 

Then the court considered the investigator's petition, heard the objections of the defense and the accused, and decided to grant the application. Thus, Kungortsev's term of imprisonment was extended by two month. 

Recall, Kungortsev, 22, is accused of murdering David Hovakimyan, 15. Kungortsev says he is innocent, while human rights defenders and his attorney point to violations during the preliminary investigation. While behind bars, the accused resorted to self harm, as well as beginning a hunger strike. His mother, Anahit Harutyunyan, said that her son was beaten by police while under police custody and forced to confess to the crime.