Jirayr Sefilyan removed from courtroom for ten hours (video)
Jirayr Sefilyan, the leader of the opposition New Armenian Public Salvation Front, and Nerses Poghosyan, were removed from the courtroom for ten hours for not standing up and showing respect for the presiding judge when the latter entered the hall. During the previous hearing, the judge used sanctions against them warning that they would be removed next time. The lawyers of Sefilyan and Poghosyan announced that they would not participate in the session without them and left the hall. Before that, Sefilyan said no one could force them to stand up before the court. Five of the seven defendants have been removed from the court for the same reason. Jirayr Sefilyan was arrested last year for an attempt to overthrow the government through an armed revolt. Armenia’s Investigative Committee later announced the arrest of six other men accused of being part of an armed group formed by Sefilyan and said it had confiscated large amounts of weapons from them.
