Sasna Dzrer members still have no defenders: Hearing postponed
The trial of 14 members of the Sasna Dzrer (Daredevils of Sassoun) group, that seized a police station in Yerevan last summer, started at the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan’s Avan and Nor Nork administrative districts. Davit Gyurjyan and Tigran Yegoryan, defense attorneys of Sasna Dzrer member Gagik Yeghiazaryan, are absent from the courtroom, that is why the defendant has ask the judge to reschedule the hearing date. Attorney Yervand Varosyan is not present at the hearing. The judge wanted to involve Garegin Margaryan as public defender of Armen Bilyan but the latter earlier refused his services. Bilyan himself was not present at the hearing as he had been barred from the trial. Garegin Margaryan was also involved [in the case] as second public defender of Smbat Barseghyan. The lawyers present in the courtroom objected Judge Artush Gabrielyan's decisions but it did not help. Garegin Margaryan he would agree to represent Barseghyan's interests only after receiving his consent. The judge said that the first public defender (Armine Fanyan) might not be able to protect Barseghyan’s interests because of workload. Shortly afterwards, Gagik Yeghiazaryan was removed from the courtroom for laughing during the session. “I was not talking, I was laughing,” said Yeghiazaryan. "You are not allowed to laugh," the judge answered. The trial has been postponed.
