Man accused of riots in Yerevan goes on hunger strike

Narek Sargsyan, accused of involvement in mass riots of July 20 inKhorenatsi Street, has declared a hunger strike. He demands to change his pre-trial freedom restriction measure.

"My client has declared a hunger strike in protest against the pre-trial restriction measure in the form of arrest pronounced against him," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told in the evening on November 2 by Arayik Papikyan, an advocate of Narek Sargsyan.

According to the advocate, Narek Sargsyan demands to release him on bail or to change the pre-trial restriction measure on recognizance not to leave.

"If during the pre-trial investigation, investigators feared that being free, Narek Sargsyan may raise difficulties for the investigation, then at present, the case is in court, and my client is not be able to put up obstacles. Besides, he takes care of his wife and a minor child who depend on him," said Arayik Papikyan.

He has noted that Narek Sargsyan declared his hunger strike on October 31. However, he has not yet been transferred to a separate cell.

"In accordance with the law, a prisoner on hunger strike is to be transferred to a separate cell. However, the administration of the Nubarashen prison, refused to place my client into a separate cell and referred to the lack of available cells," stated the advocate.

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