EDGAR ARAKELYAN STANDS TRIAL
Support A1+!Trial of Armenia’s Lusakert town resident Edgar Arakelyan, 24, started Tuesday at Center Nork-Marash first instance court in Yerevan. He is charged with participating in unauthorized rally on April 12 and beating a policeman with empty plastic bottle.
The accused says he threw the bottle after being punched in his mouth and losing teeth. He acted such a way only to defend himself from the assault, Arakelyan said. Besides, he said he had no idea that the attacker was a policeman, as the latter was dressed as civilian.
Police officer Sahak Martirosyan, the victim, insists he was in uniform. It should be noted, there was no light on the scene then - Baghramyan Avenue was in darkness.
Calling on judges to show clemency toward the defendant, the policeman, at the same time, persisted in saying the bottle was full of water.
It became clear at the hearing that the accused was forced to make written confession that he beat the policeman in the head.
The prosecutor Ara Amirzadyan grounding on Arakelyan’s above-mentioned forced confession offered to sentence him to two and a half years in jail.
Defense attorney will speak tomorrow.
