On May 6 at “Artik” penitentiary the RA Administrative Court started hearing the case on the suit of Nikol Pashinian, Chief Editor of “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily, versus “Kosh” penitentiary. The plaintiff demands to lift the disciplinary penalty, imposed on him on November 16, 2010. As it has been reported, on January 19, 2010 Nikol Pashinian was found guilty in mass riots of March 1, 2008 in Yerevan, and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment. On March 9, 2010 the Criminal Court of Appeal, by applying an amnesty on Nikol Pashinian, cut down his unexpired term of imprisonment by half. In the early morning of November 11, 2010 in the mass cell of “Kosh” penitentiary, where Nikol Pashinian was then detained, an incident happened: at about 2.30 two men in black and in masks attacked the journalist, who was lying on the plank-bed, and started to beat him; when Nikol Pashinian called for help, the strangers left the ward. After the incident, on November 16, 2010, the Chief Editor of “Haykakan Zhamanak” was lead to the isolation ward, while in the end of November – to “Artik” penitentiary. According to the press release of the Criminal Executive Department of RA Ministry of Justice, the reason for transferring Nikol Pashinian to “Artik” penitentiary were “his numerous violations of detention conditions”, as well as the conflicts with other prisoners (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, November 26 – December 2, 2010). Nikol Pashinian contested the November 16, 2010 decision of the “Kosh” administration on transferring him to the isolation ward.
