The court of first instance of Kentron and Nork Marash communities with the head of Mnatsakan Martirosyan published the decision about the editor of "Haykakan Zhamanak" paper Nikole Pashinyan.  The court acquitted a charge against Pashinyan about 316 Article, part 1 of the Criminal Code (exerting violence towards the policeman), instead, found him guilty and gave 7 years of imprisonment on the basis of Article 225, part 1 (organization of mass disorder). The court gave stricter punishment than the prosecutor demanded.

The Prosecutor Koryun Piloyan submitted a motion to the court to convict Pashinyan for 8 years of imprisonment, "2 years" for exerting violence towards the policeman, and 6 years for organizing mass disorder.
The defense attorneys of Nikole Pashinyan, Ervand Varosyan and Lusine Sahakyan did not expect such a court decision.

"In practice the courts give at least 1 year less than requested by the Prosecutor, said the attorney, fair decision, of course, was not expected, as Armenian courts have not been administering justice for a long period".

According to Lusine Sahakyan, it was an artificial step to bring acquittal towards Pashinyan on the basis of 316 article of the Criminal Code.

"This is an artificial step, so that the court tries to show that it can administer justice in some cases"

The defense attorney expressed her assurance that the court punished Nikole Pashinyan for his political activities. .

Lusine Sahakyan confirmed that they would apply to higher courts, but do not expect much from the Appellate and Cassation courts.   

"In fact, again the only way is to apply to the European court of human rights. So in Armenia we are not able to administer justice, and not to apply to international bodies", said the attorney.

The prosecutor Koryun Piloyan did not appear in the court, because of his weak health. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the court blamed the authorities. Among the gathered people, there were, however, the ones who thought that Mnatsakan Martirosyan would bring a decision of acquittal towards Nikole Pashinyan.

Opposition leaders, president of ՀԺԿ Armenian Democratic party Stepan Demirchyan, as well as representative of Armenian National Congress, David Shahnazaryan were present at trial.

"A clear order was done. They want to deprive Pashinyan from liberty by any means. This is one of the scandalous court sessions. And the real responsible people for March 1 events are in freedom", he said. 

After the publication of the court decision representative of the Congress, David Shahnazaryan qualified the court with an expression of "Lynch court", and the court decision- the result of a political order.

The court have made such decisions about "March 1" cases that there was an opportunity to release the convicted people by amnesty, and the chief editor of "Haykakan Zhamanak" paper Nikole Pashinyan was imprisoned for 7 years.

Zhanna Aleksanyan