Yerevan hosts rally in support of convicted ANC activists

An action in support of the four oppositional activists of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), convicted of disorderly conduct and resistance to the police, was held today in Yerevan. The participants demanded a fair consideration of their cases by the Court of Appeal (CoA).

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 20, 2012, the ANC activists Tigran Arakelyan, Artak Karapetyan, David Kiramidjyan and Sarkis Gevorkyan were sentenced to terms ranging from two to six years in prison. They were found guilty of hooliganism and resistance to the police. The ANC argues that the activists had been provoked by the police.

The today's action in front of the building of the General Prosecutor's Office of Armenia brought together about 40 protesters. The event was dated to the first session of the CoA to be held on August 5 at midday.

On August 5, the ANC members are also going to hold an action, said Aram Manukyan, a deputy chairman of the party and a Deputy of the National Assembly. According to his story, "today there are all prerequisites for the court to change the measure of their freedom restraint."

Besides, as noted by Manukyan, the pressure on the courts by various American and European organizations, which, according to the ANC deputy chairman, consider Tigran Arakelyan, who had received the highest prison term, a political prisoner, has intensified.