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Witness Not Invited to Court in order to Protect Government Officials, Says
Expert
12.05.2014 17:19 epress.am
On November 5, 2012, a 19-year-old military conscript, Sargis
Sahakyan, was found dead at a military base in the village of
Tsiranadzor in Syunik marz (province). A witness in the case related
to Sahakyan's death, Gor Margaryan, did not receive a summons from the
Court of Appeals to present himself in court and give testimony.
Epress.am was told about the latter by Peaceful Dialogue NGO military
expert Ruben Martirosyan (pictured), who is also the representative of
the victim's legal successor.
According to the expert, the court claims that the notification was
sent but Margaryan for some reason has not received it. Martirosyan is
confident that the court does not wish to have witnesses, especially
Gor Margaryan, to be interrogated because then it would be forced to
send the court materials to the Special Investigation Service (SIS),
which may result in a threat of criminal responsibilities for about 30
officials.
"Due to the witness not coming to court, the November 28 hearing at
the Court of Appeals did not take place, we also, understanding that
Gor was not coming, didn't attend. The next hearing will take place on
December 18," said Ruben Martirosyan.
He recalled that Sargis Sahakyan's death was officially considered a
suicide and that in order to blame two soldiers for the suicide, they
forced Margaryan to give a false testimony against them. Margaryan is
now stating that he was pressured to write a testimony at the Military
Police. Pressure against witness Gor Margaryan continued even during
the Court of First Instance hearings, where the prosecutor publicly
defamed him. The witness came to the human rights defender Ruben
Martirosyan to defend himself.
Recall, that the Court of First Instance's verdict sentenced the young
servicemen Artur Misakyan to 4 years and Artashes Khachatryan to 4.5
years for leading Sahakyan to suicide.
http://www.epress.am/en/2014/12/05/witness-not-invited-to-court-in-order-to-protect-government-officials-says-expert.html
Expert
12.05.2014 17:19 epress.am
On November 5, 2012, a 19-year-old military conscript, Sargis
Sahakyan, was found dead at a military base in the village of
Tsiranadzor in Syunik marz (province). A witness in the case related
to Sahakyan's death, Gor Margaryan, did not receive a summons from the
Court of Appeals to present himself in court and give testimony.
Epress.am was told about the latter by Peaceful Dialogue NGO military
expert Ruben Martirosyan (pictured), who is also the representative of
the victim's legal successor.
According to the expert, the court claims that the notification was
sent but Margaryan for some reason has not received it. Martirosyan is
confident that the court does not wish to have witnesses, especially
Gor Margaryan, to be interrogated because then it would be forced to
send the court materials to the Special Investigation Service (SIS),
which may result in a threat of criminal responsibilities for about 30
officials.
"Due to the witness not coming to court, the November 28 hearing at
the Court of Appeals did not take place, we also, understanding that
Gor was not coming, didn't attend. The next hearing will take place on
December 18," said Ruben Martirosyan.
He recalled that Sargis Sahakyan's death was officially considered a
suicide and that in order to blame two soldiers for the suicide, they
forced Margaryan to give a false testimony against them. Margaryan is
now stating that he was pressured to write a testimony at the Military
Police. Pressure against witness Gor Margaryan continued even during
the Court of First Instance hearings, where the prosecutor publicly
defamed him. The witness came to the human rights defender Ruben
Martirosyan to defend himself.
Recall, that the Court of First Instance's verdict sentenced the young
servicemen Artur Misakyan to 4 years and Artashes Khachatryan to 4.5
years for leading Sahakyan to suicide.
http://www.epress.am/en/2014/12/05/witness-not-invited-to-court-in-order-to-protect-government-officials-says-expert.html