Epress.am News from Armenia
Today, the trial of Shant Harutyunyan and his friends has entered its concluding phase; the public defenders speeches were heard, and the court moved on to listen to the defendants. Mkrtich Hovhannisyan, one of the defendants, pleaded guilty in court.
After Hovhannisyan finished his speech, Shant Harutyunyan’s defense lawyer, Inessa Petrosyan, asked for a right to speak. She was planning to submit a motion to resume the trial phase of the case, however, the presiding Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan deprived the defense lawyer from that opportunity.
"On what bases am I not allowed to speak, if you’ve, just now, let Mkrtich Hovhannisyan speak? Is it because Mkrtich pleaded guilty, while Shant Harutyunyan hasn’t?” asked Petrosyan. The judge, however, did not answer the question or comment on his decision, instead added that the lawyer would get a chance to speak in the future.
Today, there was a significantly large amount of people gathered in the courtroom, but they were not only the defendant's family or journalists but also political figures.
During the court session former political prisoner and MP Nikol Pashinyan and Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovhannisyan were present in the courtroom. Both of them often state that the defendants are political prisoners. Prosperous Armenia Party MP Elinar Vardanyan was also present.
During the court session, a protest was held outside the court building, which demanded the release of
Shant Harutyunyan and his friends.
Note, Harutyunyan and his 13 friends are accused of hooliganism committed with an object used as a weapon and resisting the authorities during an anti-government march Harutyunyan organized on November 5, 2013, which foresees a potential 4-7 years imprisonment. 3 of them, Mkrtich Hovhannisyan, Artur Margaryan, Vahe Mkrtchyan are also accused of violence toward a representative of the authorities, which foresees 5 to 10 years imprisonment.