The next claim of the police against the activist Vahagn Minasyan, holding a sit-in protest in front of the City Hall for months, referred to the incident happened on September 10, around 11:05 a.m. in front of City Hall. Recall that the Central Police Department has submitted two claims of administrative sanctions, at the same time, against the activist for failing to comply with the legal requirement of the police. Today, at the preliminary sitting, the lawyers of the activist, Artak Zeinalyan and Tigran Safaryan, presented a motion that the plaintiff submits the application with all of its enclosed materials to them. To become familiar with the materials, they motioned to postpone the trial. The court granted the motion, and the next meeting will be on March 11. As said by Vahagn Minasyan, on September 10, in the morning, he along with other activists tried to attend the council meeting. They tried to enter the City Hall with passports, but police prevented them, violating their rights. “The council meeting was open to the public, which was previously announced. We have not heard the illegal demand of the police for exercising our right; we tried again to enter the City Hall. After which, by use of force, a few people, including I, were apprehended to the police department.” Mr. Zeinalyan, in the conversation with us, told that the fight against Vahagn Minasyan is not in administrative but criminal domain. “No matter how the state calls the prosecution implemented, if it meets certain criteria, the man is called criminal prosecution pursuant to the European Convention on Human Rights. All these cases with their characteristics are consistent with the formulations of criminal prosecution. This is a criminal prosecution, the prosecution of authorities against restriction of the civil society to exercise their freedoms, and has come to replace the institute of administrative sanction, which existed in Armenia before 2005.”
Today, the claims of the police against the activists Gohar Saroyan and David Gevorgyan were also examined at the same court, again to exercise administrative sanctions for failing to meet the legal requirement of the police officer. The judge Baghdasaryan complained that Gohar Saroyan after a few court sessions has sent a letter from Germany not only with the request to delay the sessions but also with the claim of scheduling initial session. “Whereas we have already passed to the trial”, said Judge Baghdasaryan. As for the claim of the police against David Gevorgyan, Mr. Zeinalyan again filed a motion to postpone it, arguing that his client was not properly notified. The notice of the court was returned, with a note of not required. The judge also repeatedly insisted that it is possible, the letter was delivered to the postman, just not willing to take. After a long discussion about giving-not giving the notice of the activist, the court decided to grant Mr. Zeinalyan’s motion, the trial was postponed for improper delivery of the notice. The next meeting will be held on March 11.
Arpine Simonyan
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Photo by Sona Margaryan
