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  • Trial of seven opposition activists to proceed in their absence

    Interfax, Russia
    March 13 2009


    Trial of seven Armenian opposition activists to proceed in their
    absence

    YEREVAN March 13


    Judge Mnatsakan Martirosian ordered the last defendant out of the
    courtroom at the so-called 'trial of the seven', at which opposition
    activists are being tried for instigation of mass disorder in Yerevan,
    Armenia.

    Grigor Voskerchian was ordered out of the courtroom "for contempt of
    court" for ten days, an Interfax correspondent reported.

    The judge had ordered five defendants in the case out of the courtroom
    for the same reason at a March 9 court session.

    The last defendant, Shant Arutyunian, has to undergo a psychiatric
    examination, and his criminal prosecution has been suspended.

    The defense team filed several motions on Friday to challenge the
    secretary and a number of counsels for the prosecution. The motion was
    turned down.

    The 'trial of the seven' was started in December 2008. Former Armenian
    Foreign Minister Alexander Arzumanian, parliamentarians Myasnik
    Malkhasian, Sasun Mikaelian, and Akop Akopian, and also three
    opposition activists have been charged with instigating mass disorder
    in Yerevan on March 1, 2008, an attempt to seize power, violence
    against government officials, and acquisition, storage, and carrying
    of weapons, munitions, and explosives.

    The Armenian opposition led by former President Levon Ter-Petrosian
    refused to recognize the official results of the February 19
    presidential elections and organized mass protests, which grew into
    clashes with police on March 1, in which ten people were killed and
    over 250 injured.

    va nb
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