Lawyer of Edgar Arakelyan, who was sentenced to a year and six months for hitting a policeman with empty plastic bottle, filed a motion to the Court of Appeal on Tuesday.{BR} He is asking to reconsider the case and, taking into account his client’s repentance, to replace the punishment with not so severe one: to fine him or give him suspended sentence.

Robert Grigoryan, the lawyer of General-Lieutenant and former Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan meet with OSCE Ambassador in Armenia Vladimir Pryakhin on Tuesday.{BR} The meeting was initiated by Vladimir Pryakhin. Grigoryan told Pryakhin that his client is charged with attempting a coup, making seditious calls and insulting the authorities. But actually no exact wrongdoing is mentioned...

Armenian delegation left for France Monday at the invitation of Group of Friendship between French and Armenian parliamentarians to observe elections in European Parliament at one of polling stations.{BR} During their week-long trip Armenian lawmakers will also discuss some issues related to inter-parliamentary cooperation with their French colleagues.

Artarutyun parliamentary fraction member Arshak Sadoyan, speaking at today’s parliamentary hour of announcements, said if the authorities didn’t abandon their stance the opposition would change its tactic.{BR} Artarutyun fraction’s another member Grigir Harutyunyan announced that the opposition regular rally wiould be held on June 16 at 19:00 outside Matenadaran museum.

On Tuesday, MP Grigor Harutyunyan, a member of Artarutyun opposition bloc, commenting on court decision to extend the term of General-Lieutenant Vagharshak Harutyunyan’s pretrial detention for another two months, said, according to information obtained from reliable sources, the political prisoner had been offered freedom for dissuading the opposition from holding rallies. He rebuffed the offer,...

MP Hmayak Hovhannisyan, speaking Tuesday at National Assembly’s traditional hour of announcements, accused the opposition of failing velvet revolution. He said the revolution failed amid widespread disappointment with the opposition leaders and scepticism about their ability to oust current authorities from power.{BR} MP Victor Dallakyan, the member of the opposition bloc Artarutyun, objected...

The last night, Azeri troops tried to come closer to a pump station near Armenian border town of Ijevan.{BR}

Attorney for A1+ TV Company in European Human Rights Court and the head of International Lawyers Union Tigran Ter-Yesayan is answering the questions our correspondent put to him. Correspondent: Why you are so convinced the A1+ is at advantageous position? T.T.: I think so because the issue of consideration of the suit is now discussed in the Court Chamber. Bilateral negotiations are to start soon....

After considering the report on the 2003 budget implementation in parliamentary commissions, National Assembly members embarked on discussing it at their three-day session.{BR} Deputy Finance Minister and Treasury Secretary Atom Janjughazyan as well as other officials will present their reports. Janjughazyan calls the last year “unprecedented” because of a 14-percent economic growth....

Republic party member and Armenian Gyumri town resident Ashot Zakaryan stood trial on Monday. Zakaryan is former Gyumri’s military police officer, who has been sacked for his political views at pre-election period of time. Now he is charged with hooliganism and disorderly conduct. The accused has been present at a rally in Gyumri, during which an incident occurred. Zakaryan has alleged pushed...

Armenian Environmental Ministry together with United Nations Development Program started Monday a ten-day campaign focused on environment protection. Every year, on June 5, international community marks Environment Protection Day.{BR} The campaign initiators hope to enhance people awareness of environmental problems and increase their willingness to take care of natural resources. The event’s...

So far 6,700 signatures of Armenian citizens are collected by the protest action participants outside the Prosecutor General Office in Yerevan. The series of protests is staged by the republic’s organizations. The protesters are demanding to release political prisoners from jail.{BR} The number of signatures could be greater. But many refrain from signing the paper with the demand as they fear...

Armenian National Assembly started Monday its last three-day session before the summer recess.{BR} Honourable Titles Bill is included in the agenda as well as amendments to the Monitoring Conducting Law and to the Social Security for Disabled Law. Armenian lawmakers are discussing the issues without enthusiasm. Discussions are being held in a half-empty session room. It has been noticed, that People...

Apartment blocks’ backyards in Yerevan are likely to be sold by auction, Samvel Danelyan, the head of urban planning and architecture department of the Armenian capital’s municipality said Monday.{BR} Danelyan supposes underground garages will be constructed at the sold areas and zones of rest will be created on the ground. The municipality intends to tighten control over all construction...

On Monday, at its closed-door session, Center Nork-Marash first instance court satisfied the prosecution plea to extend General-Lieutenant Vagharshak Harutyunyan’s pretrial detention for two months.{BR} Vagharshak Harutyunyan is charged with attempting coup, making seditious calls and insulting the authorities and can face up to 19 years in jail if convicted. Protest of Harutyunyan’s...

The rally did take place despite Yerevan municipality statement that it hasn’t authorised it because of some information about expected provocations and possible threat to people’s lives.{BR} There were as many people as always. Welcoming the rally participants, Republic party leader Aram Sargssyan said it was a great victory that people had gathered for the rally despite warning given...

State structures and organizations are running a campaign to obtain 450 million USD from the U.S. government. The financial assistance will be given to a number of countries as part of Millennium Challenges program.{BR} 16 countries of the program 75 aspirants have been chosen preliminarily. Armenia is among them. It has been taken into account how much governing system has accomplished in the applicant...

The opposition is now wrapping its rally. No march will be held after it. It should be said the authorities had made proper preparations for the expected march by shielding their seats with barbed wire and bringing legions of soldiers. This was in vain.{BR}

“Closed border means blockade. It means a state of war with the neighboring country”, member of former Armenian-Turkish commission and former Armenian Foreign Minister Alexander Arzumanyan said Friday at a discussion over Armenian-Turkish border opening organized by Young Conservators Union.{BR} In his opinion, the problem of Armenian-Turkish relations can be solved only by the two countries...

The opposition-staged rally has already started. Republic party member Albert Bazeyan made opening speech.{BR} MP Tatul Manaseryan is speaking now. Police officers lined nearby pavement.

Despite Yerevan Municipality’s prohibition, the opposition remains determined to stage a rally today outside Matenadaran museum. Justice bloc source says Shenavan village’s resident Alik Eghiazaryan, who is a member of Republic party, was taken in police custody at Friday’s dawn.{BR} His fellow partisan Tariel Eghiazaryan, who resides in the same village, has been detained on...

Suit filed by New Times party chair Aram Karapetyan against National Unity party leaders was heard Friday at the first instance court. The suit has been filed over the allegation saying he is “the authorities’ agent”.{BR} The plaintiff’s lawyer Levon Baghdasaryan demanded the defendant to answer for their allegation. The defense attorneys Gagik Kostandyan and Agassi Arshakyan...

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan received Friday the PACE Special Representative Goran Lenmarker. It is the PACE Representative’s second visit to Armenia. The first one was in this year February.{BR} Lenmarker said this time he intended to tour Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to see the situation on site. He also said the PACE together with other European institutions could create favourable...

Every-day protest action outside the Prosecutor General Office in Yerevan continued Friday. Protesters keep on demanding a number of political prisoners to be released from jail.{BR} Only Aravot TV Company is highlighting the event. Armenia’s other TV channels prefer to keep silence about that, despite the organisations that staged the piquet have repeatedly invited crews from all TVs.