Armenian CoA upholds verdict to Volodya Avetisyan

Today, the Court of Appeal (CoA) of Armenia has dismissed an appeal complaint against the verdict to Volodya Avetisyan, a Karabakh War veteran and an active participant of protest actions, who was convicted on charges of fraud.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Volodya Avetisyan, an active participant of protest actions, organized by Karabakh War veterans, was detained on September 20, 2013. He was accused of receiving 2000 US dollars from an employee of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) allegedly for helping to free some relative of an Armenian citizen from the mandatory military service.

On July 17, 2014, the court in Armenia has found Volodya Avetisyan, a Karabakh War veteran, guilty of a fraud and sentenced him to six years in prison and a fine.

After receiving the written text of the CoA's decision, his defence is going to appeal against it at the Court of Cassation, the lawyer Ara Zakaryan told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Today, the friends of Volodya Avetisyan, who were present in the courtroom, chanted "Freedom to Volodya Avetisyan!" As reported by Gagik Sarukhanyan, the chairman of the military-patriotic organization "Khachakir" and a member of the initiative "In Defence of Volodya Avetisyan", policemen are intimidating Karabakh War veterans, so that they do not take part in activities in support of Avetisyan.

Volodya Avetisyan said at today's court session that he "has no trust in justice," adding that in custody he is in "inhumane conditions."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.