ARTAK NAZARYAN’S FAMILY BOYCOTTS TRIAL AFTER JUDGE APPROVES WITNESS’ REQUEST
epress.am
02.15.2012
Tsovinar Nazaryan, sister of rifle platoon commander Artak Nazaryan,
who died on Jul. 27, 2010, her representative Ruben Martirosyan and
attorney Mushegh Shushanyan on Tuesday participated in the trial
held in Idjevan; however, after the judge’s ruling they boycotted
the session and left the courtroom.
Judge Samvel Mardanyan said he received a notice in writing from an
important witness in the case, Arman Mnatsakanyan, saying that the
latter cannot attend the court sessions as he is ill. The witness
also asked that the court accept his previous testimony. This news
was conveyed to Epress.am by Arman Veziryan, a representative of the
Yerevan-based Helsinki Association for Human Rights, which is closely
following the case.
Recall, the attorney representing Artak’s family, Mushegh Shushanyan,
last month had predicted such a scenario would occur. The witness
not being examined in court reinforces the victim’s family and its
representatives’ belief that he is being pressured and intimidated by
power-wielding officials. It’s important to note, in the early days
of the trial, Mnatsakanyan was consistently escorted to the courtroom
first by military police (when he was still in the service) and then
by civilian police (after he completed his mandatory two-year service).
In court on Feb. 14, Shushanyan said that if the judge makes public the
witness’ pre-trial testimony then the victim party won’t participate
in the trial.
“The court is not a notary office, that it doesn’t examine the witness
and publishes its pre-trial testimony. This already proves that the
judge confirms the incriminatory inference,” he said.
The judge, nevertheless, granted the witness’ request, to which the
victim party left the courtroom.
The prosecution was opposed to the court session continuing without
the other party, but the judge continued the trial.
Note as well, Hrant Gevorgyan, attorney to Hakob Manukyan, late
last year motioned for the Judge Samvel Mardanyan to withdraw on the
grounds that he is not impartial, as well as the fact that he moved
the court sessions from Yerevan to Ijevan, to which all parties were
opposed. However, the judge overruled the motion.
Earlier, Tsovinar Nazaryan had informed Epress.am that at court on
Dec. 14, 2011, Mnatsakanyan said it was the investigator who wrote
his pre-trial testimony, but he (Mnatsakanyan) dictated what to write.
“Despite this, the witness was unable to explain several words used in
his [written] testimony, and instead of his left forearm [as written]
he pointed to his back. Several times the witness insisted that the
murder took place not on Jul. 27, as noted in the official version, but
one day before – on the 26th. He also argued that before the murder,
battalion commander Misha Gabrielyan got up to the base – the same
man who the investigation insisted was on vacation during the entire
time… The witness also said that after the incident, he was taken to
the military police station in the city of Berd and kept there for 23
days. Mnatsakanyan’s testimonies [in court] contradicted one another,
as well as to his pre-trial testimony,” said the victim’s party,
believing that the witness is being pressured by the authorities.
Note, the defense ministry claims that Artak’s death was a suicide;
however, an autopsy and physical examination of the body conducted
later revealed traces of violence on his face and body, inflicted
upon the platoon commander 6 hours before his death.