October 27 Trial Begins

[Guest]

October 27 Trial Begins

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan). On February 15, the court of the first instance of Yerevan's Kentron and Nork-Marash communities with Judge Samvel Uzunian in the chair began to hear the October 27, 1999 parliamentary killings case. Defendant Misak Mkrtchian failed to appear in the court-room for reasons unknown to the court.

 

Nairi Hunanian, the principal defendant in the case, said he had refused to accept the bill of indictment because the investigator rather than the prosecutor wanted to hand the indictment to him, which runs counter to the requirements of the Code of Criminal Procedure. However, the prosecution said this requirement is not imperative, therefore Nairi Hunanian's refusal to take the bill of indictment is groundless. The court decided the bill of indictment will be handed to Hunanian on February 16 so that he can study the content of the document.

 

Nairi Hunanian also protested against violations committed during the preliminary investigation, in which, Hunanian said, prosecutor Hakob Martirossian played a role. The court rejected the motion as groundless.

 

The court also declined the petition of another defendant in the case, Armen Gasparian (policeman of the regiment of guards of the Interior Ministry) requesting he be separated from the general proceedings. According to the court, the charge brought against him is connected with the case and his being at large may obstruct the trial. Gasparian said he would go on hunger-strike before the beginning of the next meeting of the court. He and another defendant, Interior Ministry official Avetik Minassian, who are charged with criminal neglect, expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that they are kept in the same cage with the person who had pointed a sub-machine gun at them, and demanded that they should be kept apart.

 

Nairi Hunanian has decided to do without a lawyer. Five other defendants also refused to avail themselves of legal services. Defendant Edik Grigorian said that it would be decided in a week's time who was going to defend him.

 

Defendants Nairi and Karen Hunanian, Edik Grigorian and Derenik Bejanian are charged on seven articles of the RA Criminal Code. Four of these articles are as follows: high treason, act of terrorism, attempted act of terrorism, organized activity aimed at committing an especially dangerous state crime. The defendants face 10-15-year imprisonment, death penalty, confiscation of property. Vram Galstian, Ashot Knyazian and Hamlet Stepanian are also charged with high treason, act of terrorism, attempted act of terrorism (plus an additional three articles.) They too face capital punishment. All seven are also charged with deliberate destruction or damage of property, hostage-taking, unlawful purchase and possession of firearms and ammunition. Armen Gasparian and Avetik Minassian, who worked for the Interior Ministry, are charged with neglect of official duties; Sargis Yetimian, Sashik Ghlechian and Misak Mkrtchian are charged with unlawful possession of firearms. In all five cases the sentence stipulated by the Criminal Code is up to 5 years in prison.

 

The court will establish the reasons why defendant Misak Mkrtchian was absent from the first court sitting and will make sure he attends the next sitting. Nairi Hunanian will have a week to study the bill of indictment and Edik Grigorian will settle issues with his lawyer.

 

There will be some restrictions regarding the coverage of the trial since it is a high-profile case. Justice Minister David Haroutiunian made it known to reporters the publication of testimony will be prohibited. Only information about this testimony must be provided.

 

The minister said that all organizational matters connected with the holding of the trial, especially those pertaining to security, have been settled. All representatives of mass media will be allowed in the court room. The trial will also be covered by the international press, including BBC, CNN, France Presse and Reuters.

[Guest]

LAYWERS DEFEND THE INTERESTS OF SARKISIANS

15.02.2001

 

YEREVAN, February 15. /Mediamax/. The trial of the case of "October 27" began today in Yerevan. The widow of the killed speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Karen Demirchian, Rima Demirchian, as well as deputies of the Armenian parliament are present in the courtroom

The mother and brother of Prime Minister Vazgen Sarkisian, killed as a result of the terrorist act, preferred not to participate in the trial. Aram Sarkisian, who headed the government after the death of his brother and resigned in May 2000, declared that he couldn't be in the same room with the murderer of his brother. Lawyers defend the interests of Sarkisians in the courtroom.

The court session proceeds. -0-

[Guest]

COURT HEARINGS OF "OCTOBER 27" CASE POSTPONED TILL FEBRUARY 22

15.02.2001

 

YEREVAN, February 15. /Mediamax/. 5 more accused refused today the counsel for the defense at the trial of the case of "October 27", which began today in Yerevan, the correspondent of Mediamax reported from the courtroom

One of them - member of the criminal group Edward Grigorian - declared that he wished to have another lawyer, for which the court gave a one-week period.

Besides, two of the accused - ex policemen Avetik Minasian and Armen Gasparian spoke with a solicitation to separate the case regarding them to a separate legal procedure, motivating their decision with the "unwillingness to be in the same cage with bandits." After the court refused the proposal, Gasparian spoke with a new solicitation - to change his preventive punishment. Again being refused, the accused declared of this intention to go on hunger strike.

A break till February 22 is announced in the court session. -0-

[Guest]

THE COURT REFUSED NAIRI HUNANIAN REJECTION OF THE STATE PROSECUTOR

15.02.2001

 

YEREVAN, February 15. /Mediamax/. The Yerevan Court of first instance of Kentron and Nork-Marash okrugs, under the chairmanship of Judge Samvel Uzunian, started today afternoon in the building of the Cassation Court of Armenia the court examination of the case of "October 27".

As the Armenian "A1+" TV company reported, from the 13 accused only 12 were present in the courtroom. Accused Misak Mkrtchian, regarding whom a written undertaking not to leave the country is determined as a preventive punishment, never appeared in the court for obscure reasons.

Three of the accused, including the main accused Nairi Hunanian, refused the services of the counsel for the defense and so they defend themselves.

At the beginning of the session Hunanian declared rejection of one of the state prosecutors - Hakop Martirosian, grounding his solicitation with the fact that Martirosian supposedly takes part in the case as a witness. The court refused Hunanian's rejection.

As Mediamax was informed in the Military Prosecutor's office of Armenia, Martirosian doesn't figure in any way in the case materials. The court session proceeds.

-0-

[Guest]

I WILL TRUST THE SENTENCE PASSED FOR NAIRI HUNANIAN AND HIS SUPPORTERS, PARUIR HAYRIKIAN STATED

15.02.2001

 

YEREVAN, February 15. /Mediamax/. "The court examination of the "October 27" case begins today, and I have heard irresponsible statements of several mass media, as if Hayrikian was ready to "shoot" Karen Demirchian and Vazgen Sarkisian. But from the first minute of the tragedy we sharply criticized all the actions of Hunanian and his supporters", the chairman of the commission for human rights defense at the President of Armenia, ex-leader of "Self-Determination" (SD) union Paruir Hayrikian said today at a press conference in Yerevan.

"I must remind that from the very first day SD has spoken against the policy which Demirchian and Sarkisian pursued, nevertheless, I highly assessed these people despite their activity in the years of the existence of USSR", Hayrikian said.

He also noted that as a politician he has given his principle assessment to the happened, but he doesn't want to go into details of the case.

"The case was primordially revealed, however, I will accept the sentence, which the court will pass, as an official sentence against any display of violence and terror," the SD leader stressed. -0-

[MosJan]

THE TRIAL MUST REVEAL THE TRUE ORGANIZERS OF THE TERRORIST ACT IN THE ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT

22.02.2001

 

YEREVAN, February 22. /Mediamax/. Head of the parliamentary group "Hayastan" Myasnik Malkhasian said today at a press conference in Yerevan that the trial over the case of the October 27, 1999 terrorist act in the Armenian parliament must reveal the true organizers of the crime.

Malkhasian said the terrorists' behavior after the assassination in the parliament indicates that "certain forces back them". --0--

[MosJan]

TRIAL OVER THE TERRORIST ACT IN PARLIAMENT RESUMED TODAY IN YEREVAN

22.02.2001

 

YEREVAN, February 22. /Mediamax/. The legal proceedings over the case of the October 27, 1999 terrorist act in the Armenian parliament, as a result of which the Prime Minister, the speaker and two vice-speakers of the National Assembly, deputies and government officials were killed, resumed today in Yerevan.

On 15 Feb. a 7-day break was announced at the trial. During this break the main accused, the head of the terrorists Nairi Hunanian had to get acquainted with the text of indictment. Three of the accused, including N. Hunanian, rejected the counsel for the defense and so they defend themselves. --0--

[MosJan]

October 27 Resumes After Ten Day Recess

YEREVAN (Armenpress)--Prime Minister Margarian in his address to parliament stated, "Every Armenian citizen must promote the transparent process of the October 27 trial."

 

"The case investigation is over and I hope that the trial will be open to the public," he said, ensuring that the government will not take any steps to hinder the normal process of the trial. "The government has done and will do everything to secure order and publicity of the trial," he added.

 

Misak Mkrtchian, a defendant in the October 27 case accused of illegal arms and ammunition possession appeared before the court on February 22.

 

The first hearing in the case was postponed because of Mkrtchian's absence in court. A special police team was sent to bring him in, but he was not found at home.

 

Mkrtchian had been allowed to stay at large before the beginning of the trial. His lawyer Ara Matevosian said that he had already seen his client, who had been out of town for medical treatment for diabetes. Mkrtchian told his lawyer he was not aware of the trial's date.