13:25, 13 September 2017

In "Sasna Tsrer" case, defendants' advocates declare a strike

Members of the "Sasna Tsrer" unit, Yerevan, July 23, 2016. Photo by Tigran Petrosyan for the Caucasian Knot.

In the case against members of the unit "Sasna Tsrer" (Daredevils of Sassoun), accused of an armed attack on a patrol-and-post service regiment and hostage-taking, the today's court hearing has been postponed because of the absence of 15 advocates of the defendants, reported the judge. Participants to the strike have demanded to stop illegal searches in courts.

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. The charges in the case on the capture of the building of the patrol-and-post (PPS) regiment were filed against 47 persons.

On August 25, Armenian advocates, involved in defence of defendants in cases of political nature, announced their plans to hold a one-day strike on September 13 to protest against personal searches at entrance to the courts.

Today, more than 180 advocates have declared a strike. In their released statement, the advocates have emphasized by their step they want to express their protest "against such outrageous manifestations regarding human rights defence in Armenia as insults of advocates and violations with regard to inviolability of their professional and personal space and property," the "NEWS.am" reports.

According to the edition, in connection with the strike, 15 advocates have not taken part in the today's court hearing in the case against members of the unit "Sasna Tsrer".

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