Over 200 came to support Schagen Arutyunyan in Yerevan

About 200 people took part in the march held in Yerevan in support of Schagen, the son of the leader of the "Tsegakron" Party Shant Arutyunyan, who is under a threat of five years in prison in connection with the incident that happened during the "Million Mask March".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 5, 2013, in Yerevan, during the "Millions Mask March", protestors clashed with the police. According to the authorities, during the riots, eight policemen and a teenager were injured, and 37 persons were detained, including Shant Arutyunyan. The prisoners' dock in the case contains 14 activists, including Shagen Arutyunyan, a 15-year-old son of Shant Arutyunyan.

Shagen Arutyunyan is charged with "hooliganism", and he is under recognizance not to leave.

Shagen Arutyunyan himself admitted that on November 5, 2013, he took part in the protest action and was not far from his father. According to the teenager, the policemen threw his father to the pavement and beat him, and he was trying to help his father and used a loud-speaker to hit one of law enforcers.

On September 14, the marchers walked from Freedom Square along central Yerevan streets to the government building and completed the action in front of the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO). They held posters reading "Freedom to Schagen Arutyunyan!", "We're against imprisonment of 15-year-old Schagen!", the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Sveta Avanesyan, 15, a Schagen's former classmate, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that she came to "support Arutyunyan and express her bewilderment against any kind of injustice."

The criminal case of Schagen Arutyunyan has been initially fabricated. The charges were presented five months after the action of November 5, 2013, said Migran Avakyan, a 21-year-old protester. "Why wasn't Schagen charged from the first day? It is clear also that the claims against Schagen were presented under the order from the top," he told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.