05 May 2009, 22:00
In Armenia, witnesses in "Case of Seven" refuse from their evidences
The witnesses in the so-called "Case of Seven", which was split by court's decision of April 1 into several individual cases, refuse from their evidences they had given at the investigation stage.
In particular, such refusals were stated by two witnesses in the case of MP Sasun Mikaelyan, which was isolated into separate proceeding, five witnesses in the case of ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Arzumanyan and other oppositional activist Suren Sirunyan.
At the trial of the case of Sasun Mikaelyan, witnesses Edik Khachatryan and Garnik Alexanyan refused from their earlier evidences and stated that their evidences against Deputy of the National Assembly, commander of the "Sasun" regiment were knocked out of them under pressure and with application of violence.
Five witnesses in the case dealing with involvement of Alexander Arzumanyan and Suren Sirunyan in organizing mass disorders also refused to confirm their initial evidences.
Witness Gagik Avdalyan has reported to the court that several participants of the rally were arrested together with him on March 1 at night in the square, adjoining monument to Myasnikyan.
"We were removed from the square in the ugliest manner: they dragged us by ground to the police 'Gazel' van, threw inside and kept beating us, mainly with boots in the head, all the way on. We were brought to the station, to be more exact, to the 6th department for fighting against organized crime, and threw us into the cellar," he said.
Mr Avdalyan has added that in the cellar people in masks beat them for participation in the rally.
Author: Lilit Ovanisyan Source: CK correspondent
