Armenia's high-profile trial of the "case of seven" taking place at the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan's Kentron and Nork-Marash districts has been
recessed till April 1.

Taking into account the recent amendments to Articles 225 and 300 of the
Criminal Code, Prosecutor Koryun Piloyan motioned that the court should give the
prosecution time to review the modifications as they impact on the ongoing
trial.

Under the disputed amendments the indictments against the seven defendants are
to be lifted. The political prisoners advised the court to study the amendments
thoroughly and considered their arrest illegal and senseless.

"Dismiss the case and review the restraint since the articles under which we are
charged no longer exist. According to the statutes now in force, I no longer see
any grounds for holding us any longer. You may later study the amendments and
sue us if you find any indictments," demanded defendant Alexander Arzumanyan.

The lawyers attempted to oppose the prosecutor's motion but the judge in the
case, Mnatsakan Martirosyan disregarded their complaint.

Mnatsakan Martirosyan upheld Koryun Piloyan's petition and adjourned the court
sitting till April 1, at 12.00.

Defendants Alexander Arzumanyan, Myasnik Malkhasyan, Sasun Mikayelyan, Hakob
Hakobyan and Suren Sirounyan were present at today's trial. The court sanction
against Grigor Voskerchyan ends tomorrow.

Note that the amendments were ratified by Serzh Sargsyan but haven't been put
into effect.