What do you want, actor? Judge to Vahan Shirkhanyan (video)
Today’s trial of eighteen members of the Sasna Dzrer armed group started with a one-hour delay because one of the defendants, Arman Hayrapetyan, was in hospital. Before the judge announced his decision to postpone the hearing, Hayk Alumyan, the lawyer of former deputy minister Vahan Shirkhanyan, said he was going to file a motion for the judge's recusal because of his his actions at the previous court hearing. At the previous court session, the judge had Vahan Shirkhanyan removed from the courtroom for 3 hours, as he had not stood up when the judge entered the room. Hayk Alumyan said that the judge also said disrespectful and offensive things to Vahan Shirkhanyan. “Who are you to tell me that I do not understand…? This is the country built by you. What do you want, actor? You are not ill, you can even run,” the judge had said to Shirkhanyan. However, the lawyer did not file the motion because the trial was adjourned until July 14.
