The defendants in case of Shant Harutyunyan and Others had filed an application for retrial. Todaythe first court trial was held in the Criminal Court of Appeal under the presidency of judge Arshak Khachatryan (judges Armen Danielyan and Sevak Hambardzumyan).
First, the court explained to the parties the right to challenge, no challenges were made. Then the appealed decision held on 17 October by Mnatsakan Martirosyan, the judge of the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts.
According to the procedure the right of voice was provided to the advocates and defendants to provide the grounds of their appeal. Only some of the defendants and two advocates managed to introduce the grounds.
Today, Shant Harutyunyan’s son Shahen Harutyunyan made a statement, he mentioned that he and the members of his family are harassed by the power. The prevented court his statement.
Defendant Armen Hovhannisyan wanted to make a statement as well. But the court did not provide him the right to speak on the reasoning that his advocate, Ara Zakaryan, was absent. The defendant declined the services of the advocate, but the court did not allow him to speak again.
The Court trial was completed by this; it will be continued in January 2015. Notably, more than a dozen bailiffs were ensuring the order in the court room, after the court session a s dispute arose between them and journalists.
