ArmInfo.The Court of General Jurisdiction in Yerevan rejected the motion for changing the measure of restraint, presented by the lawyers of the 10 members of the Sasna Tsrer group - Pavlik Manukyan, Araik Khandoyan, Areg Kyuregyan, Varuzhan Avetisyan, Mkhitar Avetisyan, Gagik Yeghiazaryan, Eduard Grigoryan, Armen Bilyan, Ambat Barseghyan and Sedrak Nazaryan. Defenders petitioned for their release on bail and a written undertaking not to leave the place. During the announcement of the court decision the defendants demonstratively left the courtroom.
Judge Mesrop Makhyan stated that during the announcement of the court's decision, referring to the actual data in the case, including on the basis of an analysis of the "unfriendly attitude of the defendants to justice and justice in general", now there is every reason to say that after being at liberty, they will try to prevent the implementation of the task of justice, the whole trial, also by exerting pressure on the participants in the process.
The audience received the court decision with whistles. Defendant Pavlik Manukyan urged the public to block the street, thereby putting pressure on the judge to make a fair verdict. The next court session is scheduled for May 23.
The court of general jurisdiction in the Yerevan community of Shengavit on May 11 rejected applications for changing the preventive measure against the remaining 11 members of the Sasna Tsrer group - Aram Manukyan, Hovhannes Harutyunyan, Tatul Tamrazyan, Aram Hakobyan, Tigran Manukyan, Araik Hakobyan, Vardan Hiravetian, Martiros Hakobyan, Sergey Kyuregyan, Gevorg Iritsyan and Toros Torosyan. After promulgating the decision of the court, the lawyers defiantly left the courtroom, accusing the judge of the state treason, and about a dozen Sasna Tsrer supporters blocked the movement of transport not on Prospekt Arshakunyats, protesting the release of the group. The next court session is scheduled for May 18.
Late last night in his next video message, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia should become a country without political prisoners, so this issue should find its solution. he stressed that this issue should be resolved solely through legal means.