Court refuses to consider bail for opposition leader Vahagn  Chakhalyan

ArmInfo. Judge Karen Farkhoyan has refused to consider a petition for Vahagn Chakhalyan's  release on bail (Chakhalyan is the leader of the "Kamk" (Will) opposition movement and close ally of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan). The decision was made during the court proceeding involving the Archbishop and several other figures associated with the movement.

The lawyer recalled that Chakhalyan's family  resides in the village  of Kasakh, outside the capital, making the daily commute for  Chakhalyan's two minor children to school in Yerevan nearly  impossible without him. Being the sole breadwinner, Chakhalyan's  continued detention is reportedly causing severe financial damage to  the household.

The lawyer pointed out that of all the defendants in the criminal  case, only Chakhalyan and Archbishop Galstanyan remain in custody.  Judge Farkhoyan dismissed the immediate request, stating that the  defense had failed to present "new circumstances" that would warrant  a change in the current preventative measure.  The judge noted that  Chakhalyan's current arrest warrant is set to expire on March 4.

The judge also offered to hold a closed-door session if the defense  wished to disclose sensitive family details and announced that the  status of all detainees in the case would be revisited at the next  scheduled hearing.