12 May 2008, 18:35
In Armenia, war veterans go on hunger strike demanding to release political prisoners
Today, following their statement made earlier, 15 participants of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh have launched a termless hunger strike in the city of Gyumri with a demand of immediate release from custody of Ashot Zakaryan, head of the Gyumri branch of the combatants' public organization "Union of Erkrap Volunteers", and other political prisoners.
The Northern Court of Armenia for Criminal Cases (located in Gyumri) continued a trial today against Ashot Zakaryan, Petros Makeyan and Shota Sagatelyan accused of interfering into the voting process during the presidential election on February 19.
The authorities who were frightened by the protest actions brought additional policemen and employees of the Court Judgement Enforcement Service from adjacent towns of Maralik, Akhuryan, Artik and event Vanadzor for guarding the court building. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that the entrance to the building was blocked by three lines of policemen who let in to the fourth sitting of the court only a limited number of people and journalists (in total, about 50 persons were admitted into the courtroom).
Author: Lilit Ovanisyan, CK correspondent
