In Armenia, court splits "Case of Seven" into individual criminal cases

Today, Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan, who presides over the trial on the "Case of Seven", has decided to make individual criminal cases against six defendants out of their united case.

According to his decision, the case of Sasun Mikaelyan will go to the Kotaik Regional Court, while others' cases will go to the court of general jurisdiction of the Tsentr-Nork-Marash Community, but to different judges. Alexander Arzumanyan's and Suren Sirunyan's cases will remain under Mnatsakan Martirosyan.

Besides, the charges presented to Miasnik Malkhasyan of commanding the police-resistance actions, and to Sasun Mikaelyan of illegal arms bearing will hold good.

"This is a classical variant - to put this resonant case in a shadow, decrease its public response and prevent mass protest actions near the court building. The actions already held have caused certain nervousness in the authorities," human rights activist Mikael Danielyan said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In his opinion, splitting the case is illegal.

"Look, the new indictment announced today at the trial starts with the words: 'Having entered a criminal conspiracy,' that is, it is stated that there are several figurants in the case; and suddenly the case is split into individual proceedings," the human rights activist is surprised. He believes that the authorities were forced to break down the "Case of Seven" for lack of proofs.

Ovik Arseyan, one of defendants' advocates, told journalists that "the most important fact is that according to the new indictment, representatives of the suffered party, that is, the parents of the casualties of March 1 events, are somehow outside the case." He fears that the case will be protracted again, as new judges will need time to get into it.