The court refused to release 10 members of the "Sasna Tsrer" group

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.