Today, the trial of the case of Heriknaz Khachatryan accused of trafficking of the Armenian women in Dubai continued in the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts. The case hearing is at the stage of dispute. During the previous court session the prosecutor had solicited to sentence the defendant to 13 years of imprisonment. Today the defender Hrant Gevogyan read the defense speech. According to the defense side there are not any evidence proving that Heriknaz Khachatryan has committed the crime, the charge is based on the testimonies of the witnesses and victims, and which are concerned with the case indirectly. Heriknaz’s connection both with the aggrieved Elena (who has left for Dubai for prostitution, but other claims have been filed, she has not agreed with them and has demanded to send them back to Armenia), and someone named Nelush (who, according to the charge, is a pimp living in Dubai and has headed a criminal group in charge of trafficking women) has not been proved.
The victims have testified that have had a phone call with Heriknaz being in Dubai, have recognized her voice, but they haven’t mentioned such voice qualities, which would establish compliance with Heriknaz’s voice if an expertise was appointed. And at court Bavakan has said that she has never called her sister, Heriknaz, as she had a bad relationship with her and had not communicated with her for many years. And when recruiting the women she has said that her sister is in Dubai but has referred to her close friend Ano, whom she was calling “sister”. In fact, the defense noted that during the consideration of the case no steps have been taken to find out who that Ano was and how she was related to the case.
On the other hand, the defense has presented evidence to court that in 2008 Heriknaz was deported from United Arab Emirates and was not able to go back any more, then she has been to Russia and Turkey. Consequently she could not traffic the women. The defense claimed that having lived in Dubai before 2008, Heriknaz had got acquainted with German Stefan Gerich and had previously been one of his house workers, but later they had lived tighter. She didn’t have any relation to the women engaged in prostitution.
In fact, there has been a mediation to the court for the above mention person to be subpoenaed to court and testified, but they hadn’t managed to call him to court. The defense stated that the failure of providing questioning of both this witness and another witness Christine Aghekyan (with whom Heriknaz worked and lived in Russia) led to incomplete and non-comprehensive investigation of the case, and evidence had not been obtained to justify his client.
The defense lawyer touched upon all the available evidence, stated that Heriknaz Khachatryan’ guilt was not proven and mediated the court to acquit her.
The other defender Meroujan Mkrtchyan and the defendant joined this speech. Heriknaz Khachatryan asked the court to justify her and noted that she had not committed this crime.
During the next court session the defendant will present her last plea. Then the court will go to the deliberations room to make the verdict.
