10 May 2017, 19:56
"Sasna Tsrer" supporter Gagik Mikaelyan released from custody
Today, activist Gagik Mikaelyan, earlier sentenced to three years of imprisonment in the case of the riots in Khorenatsi Street in Yerevan, has been released from custody by the decision of the Armenian Court of Appeal.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 28, 2016, Gagik Mikaelyan, Arsen Mkrtumyan, and Soso Margaryan, supporters of the "Sasna Tsrer", admitted their guilt in the use of violence against policemen and asked the court to consider their case in an accelerated mode. On February 2, the court sentenced each of the activists to three years of imprisonment.
On July 17, 2016, an armed detachment "Sasna Tsrer" (Daredevils of Sasun) from among supporters of the "Constituent Parliament", captured the building of the police regiment of the patrol-and-post service (PPS) in Yerevan. On July 20, 2016, power agents refused to pass foodstuffs over to the capturers; and clashes broke out of demonstrators with policemen in Khorenatsi Street. According to law enforcers, 136 people were detained at dispersal of the protest.
Today, the Armenian Court of Appeal has considered a complaint against the decision of the first instance court pronounced in the case against three activists. For Gagik Mikaelyan, real imprisonment was replaced with the probation period for three years, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told at the press service of the Armenian Court of Appeal.
According to Gagik Mikaelyan, on July 20, 2016, the policemen themselves began throwing stones and explosives in the activists' direction.
"Even animals defend themselves by instinct when they are attacked. I was sentenced to three years of imprisonment for the fact that I defended myself," noted Gagik Mikaelyan when commenting on the situation to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. He has also emphasized that he originally "had no intention to throw stones at the policemen."
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.
Author: Armine Martirosyan Source: CK correspondent
