OPPOSITION ACTIVIST ASKS COURT TO INVITE PROSECUTORS FROM RUSSIA
06.25.2014 15:12 epress.am
Presiding Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan in today's trial in the case
against political activist Shant Harutyunyan (pictured) and the 13
other men who were arrested with him in clashes with police last year
asked whether the parties wish to disqualify the judge and the court
secretary. Harutyunyan said he was already sentenced once by the same
judge (in 2008-2009, in a scandalous case known as the Case of Seven),
but he doesn't believe the decision was made by the judge.
"If I [request] a recusal it would mean I hope that if another
judge [presides over this case] it might lead to a fair verdict,"
said Harutyunyan.
Addressing his 13 friends, Harutyunyan said they are free to make their
own decision in the matter of asking the judge to recuse himself,
but he urged them to refrain from making statements that could harm
their dignity.
"If you think that by saying something, you might [get to] go home
one day early, you can freely express yourselves. If you want, you
can say that you hit the police officer and now you regret it. But
please, don't harm our and your dignity, though I don't doubt you
for a minute," he said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRdB2AeUpNc
http://www.epress.am/en/2014/06/25/opposition-activist-asks-court-to-invite-prosecutors-from-russia.html
06.25.2014 15:12 epress.am
Presiding Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan in today's trial in the case
against political activist Shant Harutyunyan (pictured) and the 13
other men who were arrested with him in clashes with police last year
asked whether the parties wish to disqualify the judge and the court
secretary. Harutyunyan said he was already sentenced once by the same
judge (in 2008-2009, in a scandalous case known as the Case of Seven),
but he doesn't believe the decision was made by the judge.
"If I [request] a recusal it would mean I hope that if another
judge [presides over this case] it might lead to a fair verdict,"
said Harutyunyan.
Addressing his 13 friends, Harutyunyan said they are free to make their
own decision in the matter of asking the judge to recuse himself,
but he urged them to refrain from making statements that could harm
their dignity.
"If you think that by saying something, you might [get to] go home
one day early, you can freely express yourselves. If you want, you
can say that you hit the police officer and now you regret it. But
please, don't harm our and your dignity, though I don't doubt you
for a minute," he said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRdB2AeUpNc
http://www.epress.am/en/2014/06/25/opposition-activist-asks-court-to-invite-prosecutors-from-russia.html