In Armenia, Malkhasyan, figurant of former "Case of Seven", demands acquittal

Miasnik Malkhasyan, one of the defendants in the former "Case of Seven" and a Deputy of the National Assembly of Armenia, has stated in his last plea at the trial that would not ask for a pardon, and his only demand is acquittal as an innocently condemned victim.

"After all torture and sufferings withstood by me and my friends, I'd like to state that I feel no hatred and just expect fair justice," he said.

In his opinion, acquittal should be the only precondition. "I don't want to ask anybody's pardon. Why does the inquiry body invite witnesses from the street, and why aren't those who can prove my innocence interrogated? If a public prosecutor is beaten as much for 'knocking out' of the confessions needed to the prosecution, he would confess of killing President Kennedy," said the defendant. 

Prosecutor Arutyun Arutyunyan, who had demanded to sentence Miasnik Malkhasyan to 6 years of imprisonment, has repeated his statement that the "prosecution has enough facts" to prove Malkhasyan's guilt.

After the last plea, Judge Armen Khachatryan, who chaired over the trial, retired for consultations; the verdict is expected on June 22 at 10 a.m.

Let us note here that the prosecution asks 9 years of imprisonment for former MP Sasun Mikaelyan.

Aram Karapetyan, chairman of the Party named "New Times", has noted in his comments on the latest events in litigation that the observed haste in finalizing the trials and passing the verdicts can have to do with the forthcoming amnesty.

"Armenia prepares amnesty bill," "In Armenia, court splits "Case of Seven" into individual criminal cases," "Imprisoned Armenian MPs demand convoking a session with their participation."