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TRIAL OF VAHAGN CHAKHALYAN RESUMES AFTER TWO-MONTH BREAK
Lragir.am
15:22:41 - 02/02/2009
On January 29, 2009 the trial of the Javakheti-based Armenian political
activist, the leader of the United Javakheti Democratic Alliance
Vahagn Chakhalyan resumed. The court held hearings on January 28 and
January 29.
The observers of the Yerkir Union to the trial observed the following
facts:
1. Vahagn Chakhalyan announced hunger protest at the court of law
against the arrest of two civil society activists of Akhaltskha Grigor
Minasyan and Sergey Hakobjanyan by the Georgian government.
2. Since Vahagn Chakhalyan, his father and brother, as well as their
advocate Stepan Voskanyan do not speak Georgian, the court provided
an interpreter. However, the interpreting was improper, incomplete and
influent. Justice Cirra Maisuradzeh also hindered the interpreting, who
did not make necessary breaks in her speech to facilitate interpreting.
3. The Georgian legislation bars video and audio recording, as well
as photographing at the court of law. In the meantime, video or
audio recordings of the hearing would guarantee against possible
falsification of the court records by the Georgian government.
4. The French advocate of the family Patrick Arabian was absent at
the hearings. The Georgian government artificially postpones his
registration although all the necessary documents had been submitted
to the Ministry of Justice on January 13.
5. During the c ourt hearing on January 29 it became known that
Vahagn Chakhalyan was not provided with the Armenian translation of
the indictment after new charges had been brought against him on
December 3, 2008. However, the judge did not adjourn the hearing,
promising to provide the translation of the indictment later.
6. The judge dismissed the petition of the counsel for the defense for
a dactyloscopic examination of the weapon allegedly found in the house
of Vahagn Chakhalyan and the office of the Youth Sports and Culture
Union of Javakheti, explaining that over six months have passed since
the "revelation" of the weapon, and the fingerprints have been erased.
7. On January 29 Vahagn Chakhalyan made a political statement. The
judge interrupted the reading several times, explaining that it has
nothing to do with the case.
8. On January 28 no witness was present at the hearing. Some of
them sent letters confirming their affidavits and said reluctant to
participate in the hearings. The judge wanted to start examination
of the defendants and only after persistent objections of the counsel
for the defense adjourned the hearing for one day.
9. Only two plaintiffs and two witnesses showed up on January 29. The
circumstances of the rally of March 11, 2006 in Akhalkalaki were
examined, which is one of the points of the charges against Vahagn
Chakhalyan.
10. After the examination of the plaintiffs and witnesses the judge
adjourned20the trial till February 11.
Yerkir Union appeals to the corresponding international organizations
and human rights organizations calling them to monitor the trial of the
political activists and the members of his family, recognize Vahagn
Chakhalyan, the members of his family, as well as the other arrested
Armenian civil society activists in Georgia as political prisoners,
urge the Georgian government to stop repressions in Javakheti populated
with Armenians.
Lragir.am
15:22:41 - 02/02/2009
On January 29, 2009 the trial of the Javakheti-based Armenian political
activist, the leader of the United Javakheti Democratic Alliance
Vahagn Chakhalyan resumed. The court held hearings on January 28 and
January 29.
The observers of the Yerkir Union to the trial observed the following
facts:
1. Vahagn Chakhalyan announced hunger protest at the court of law
against the arrest of two civil society activists of Akhaltskha Grigor
Minasyan and Sergey Hakobjanyan by the Georgian government.
2. Since Vahagn Chakhalyan, his father and brother, as well as their
advocate Stepan Voskanyan do not speak Georgian, the court provided
an interpreter. However, the interpreting was improper, incomplete and
influent. Justice Cirra Maisuradzeh also hindered the interpreting, who
did not make necessary breaks in her speech to facilitate interpreting.
3. The Georgian legislation bars video and audio recording, as well
as photographing at the court of law. In the meantime, video or
audio recordings of the hearing would guarantee against possible
falsification of the court records by the Georgian government.
4. The French advocate of the family Patrick Arabian was absent at
the hearings. The Georgian government artificially postpones his
registration although all the necessary documents had been submitted
to the Ministry of Justice on January 13.
5. During the c ourt hearing on January 29 it became known that
Vahagn Chakhalyan was not provided with the Armenian translation of
the indictment after new charges had been brought against him on
December 3, 2008. However, the judge did not adjourn the hearing,
promising to provide the translation of the indictment later.
6. The judge dismissed the petition of the counsel for the defense for
a dactyloscopic examination of the weapon allegedly found in the house
of Vahagn Chakhalyan and the office of the Youth Sports and Culture
Union of Javakheti, explaining that over six months have passed since
the "revelation" of the weapon, and the fingerprints have been erased.
7. On January 29 Vahagn Chakhalyan made a political statement. The
judge interrupted the reading several times, explaining that it has
nothing to do with the case.
8. On January 28 no witness was present at the hearing. Some of
them sent letters confirming their affidavits and said reluctant to
participate in the hearings. The judge wanted to start examination
of the defendants and only after persistent objections of the counsel
for the defense adjourned the hearing for one day.
9. Only two plaintiffs and two witnesses showed up on January 29. The
circumstances of the rally of March 11, 2006 in Akhalkalaki were
examined, which is one of the points of the charges against Vahagn
Chakhalyan.
10. After the examination of the plaintiffs and witnesses the judge
adjourned20the trial till February 11.
Yerkir Union appeals to the corresponding international organizations
and human rights organizations calling them to monitor the trial of the
political activists and the members of his family, recognize Vahagn
Chakhalyan, the members of his family, as well as the other arrested
Armenian civil society activists in Georgia as political prisoners,
urge the Georgian government to stop repressions in Javakheti populated
with Armenians.