On September 4 the court of primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash
communities of Yerevan continued the hearings on the case against the Chief
Editor of “Zhamanak-Yerevan” daily Arman Babajanian, charged with document fraud
to avoid military service. As it has been reported, Arman Babajanian was arrested
on June 27, 2006, and charges were introduced on Clause 2, Part 2, Article 327
of the RA Criminal Code (“Avoidance of military service, summons and exercise”).
On July 17 the RA General Prosecutor’s Office announced that due to the new
circumstances revealed in the course of investigation, the charges against Arman
Babajanian were extended to include another article of the RA Criminal Code
– 324, p. 2, “Theft or spoilage of documents, stamps, seals” (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, July 14-20, 2006).
The case was directed to the court on July 24, the trial started on August
18. The Editor of “Zhamanak-Yerevan” pleaded partially guilty – on Article
327 only. On the session of August 31 the testimonies of witnesses were read
out, and on September 4 the debate of the parties was held and the Prosecutor’s
speech was made, demanding to bring in a verdict of guilty on both Criminal
Code articles, sentencing the Editor to 4.5 year’s imprisonment. The court accepted
the petition of Arman Babajanian and gave him time to prepare his final plea.
The next session is scheduled for September 8.
