Today at the trial on “Shant Harutyunyan and friends” case defendant Armen Hovhannisyan requested to invite RA President Serzh Sargsyan to the court for giving testimony. He reminded that the president referred to this case in one of his speeches, stating that the defendants should be convicted. “I request to invite the RA President to the court to clarify facts of the case and justify the accusation presented to us”, he said.
Armen Hovhannisyan also referred to the accusation presented to him giving political announcements. “I have been taking part in the revolution of values. I have been serving in the Military forces for 20 years, I have been awarded with various medals, I am a political prisoner and I am being harassed by the Armenian government. There is one opposition in Armenia, and that opposition is now in this hall and sitting on the defendant`s chair. I call on all the journalists, my family members are under threat for my political beliefs. If something happens to me or my family members, it will be the result of my political beliefs. The prosecutor has done his job, and now it`s your turn to state with your actions that there is no justice in this country”, he concluded.
The court sitting was postponed today, as 3 of the defendants did not prepare their defense speeches. Next sitting will take place on 17 October.
