Human rights activists to hold protest action in front of EU  Delegation to Armenia

ArmInfo.Human rights activists will hold a protest action in front of the EU Delegation in Armenia.

"On February 10, at 2:00pm, we are gathering in front of the European  Union Delegation in Armenia. I have no more questions for the  Armenian authorities. Everything is clear in this case. But I have  questions and I have something to say to those who record the  "progress of democracy" in Armenia. These people should be  responsible for their assessments," human rights activist Ruben  Melikyan wrote on his Facebook page on February 7 after the court's  verdict on the arrest of Boris Bakhshiyan, judge of the court of  general jurisdiction of first instance in Syunik region.

It should be noted that today, on February 7, the court of general  jurisdiction of the city of Yerevan, chaired by judge David  Arghamanyan, satisfied the request of the National Security Service  to order arrest as a measure of restraint against judge Boris  Bakhshiyan for a period of two months.

As ArmInfo previously reported, the Supreme Judicial Council allowed  to initiate criminal prosecution against judge Boris Bakhshiyan and  agreed to deprive him of his freedom. The basis for the criminal  prosecution against Bakhshiyan is that, according to the National  Security Service, he violated the procedure for determining a measure  of restraint. This decision of the Supreme Court of Justice was  criticized both by opposition figures and by the judiciary and lawyer  communities.  It is worth noting that it is Judge Boris Bakhshiyan  who is in charge of the criminal case concerning the legendary  commander Ashot Minasyan (Ashot Yerkat, ed. note), who was in custody  for several months.  Minasyan was charged with usurping power,  preparing the assassination of a statesman, political or public  figure, in particular the Prime Minister of Armenia. At the  preparatory stage, the judge changed the measure of restraint to the  commander, releasing Minasyan from custody.

The Prosecutor General's Office assures that the persecution  initiated against Judge Boris Bakhshiyan has nothing to do with the  high-profile cases he is handling, including the case against Ashot  Minasyan, the commander of the Sisakan detachment. But, at the same  time, it is not reported in which case the judge is accused.

David Arghamanyan was appointed as a pre-trial court judge a few  months ago. In the days of the "revolution" of 2018, Arghamanyan  became known as an ardent supporter of the movement. A year later, he  was appointed Assistant Minister of Territorial Administration and  Infrastructures, then a judge. The media also reported that he was a  legal advisor to "My Step" and its active member.