"They wanted to sentence innocent person. The policemen, who has provided false testimonies should be convicted instead of me", released human rights activist was complaining  about injustice.

Today court of first instance of Kentron and Nork Marash communities with the head of Gagik Avetisyan has changed the preventive measure of detention of the member from Helsinki Association Arshaluys Hakobyan, who was under detention for 4 months. At the beginning of the court trial Prosecutor Hounan Babayan has presented motion to delay the announcemen of the verdict for 1 month because of changing the preventive measure of human rights activist and additional investigative actions. Judge Gagik Avetisyan has satisfied the motion of the prosecutor fully.

Released Arshaluys Hakobyan thanked all of the human rights organizations and representatives of media who were following the development of this criminal case. "I am in freedom because of you", was saying Hakobyan, "innocent person was shown degrading treatment and beaten in the police, head of police and his deputies spitted on me and remained unpunished...".

Human rights activist was saying that the head of police and his deputy should know that everybody is equal before the law and should be taken accountable before the law. "When I was deprived of liberty I was more concerned with being far from my family and not seeing my new-born baby than with all the sufferings there".

Arshaluys Hakobyan has announced in the court several times that he hadn't committed the acts that he was charged with adding that deprivation of his liberty and the case brought before the court were connected to his activities aimed at human rights protection. Today after releasing him he announced that he would fight to establish justice till the end.

Arshaluys Hakobyan is convicted according to the first part of Article 316 of the Criminal Code for exerting violence against representative of authorities, which is punished for 5 years of imprisonment. On the Mayor's Election day Hakobyan was an observer in one of the poling stations of Malatia-Sebastia community and submitted an announcement to the Special Investigatory Service concerning the incident happened in the polling station. According to the conviction on June 5 of this year 2 policemen, who were later considered as victims, had brought a notice to Hakobyan so that the latter came to the police station to give testimony. According to the victims when they wanted to give him the notice Hakobyan was drunk, and without any reason had started to swear, and throw the burned cigarette to them. In this case 2 victims and 2 witnesses from 3 witnesses are policeman. The verdict of the court will be known on November 20, at 10 o'clock.

We should also add that Arshaluys Hakobyan's case is under attention of a number of international human rights organizations that have released statements after his arrest.

Zhanna Aleksanyan