The Court of General Jurisdiction of Arabkir and Qanaqer-Zeytun Administrative Districts presided by Judge Arsen Nikoghosyan continued the investigation of the case of Aghvan Petrosyan, the Chairman of the Court of First Instance of Gegharkunik Marz and Vanik Vardanyan, a judge of the same court, on charges of taking a bribe of 23 thousand USD.
Notably, during the previous court hearing, Ruben Hakobyan filed a motion to release on bail his client Vanik Vardanyan for the elimination of detention as a precautionary measure against his client and to lodge Vardanyan’s two-room apartment in Kotayk province for this purpose. The court today announced a decision to reject that motion.
Thus, after returning from the consultation room, the court issued the decision on rejection of Vanik Vardanyan’s advocate Ruben Hakobyan’s petition filed on 12 January, 2018, to replace Vanik Vardanyan’s detention with release on bail.
Vanik Vardanyan’s release on bail was recognized unacceptable and denied the motion. The Court noted that the decision could be appealed in the Criminal Court Appeal within a ten-day period after receipt of the decision. It should also be noted that none of the defendants was present in the publication of the decision on the motion, but their friends and relatives were in court. The court took into consideration the fact of the absence of defendants and set the next on the next court session for this Friday.
Notably, Aghvan Petrosyan, the chairman of the Court of First Instance of Gegharkunik Marz and Vanik Vardanyan, the judge of the same court, have been detained in this case.
Note: The person suspected in or accused of an alleged crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in accordance with the Court’s verdict made effective.
Sregey Hakobyan
