Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

Today, a court session was scheduled on Gyumri resident Julieta Ghukasyan’s murder case.

The session was postponed once again. This time, the police did not manage to enter the territory of the Russian military base to bring the defendant to the Court. The military base commander N. Martinyuk was on a work trip, while the accompanying platoon of Shirak regional Police Department was not allowed to enter the territory of the military base.  

Shirak regional Police Department temporary head V.Yengoyan informed Shirak region General Jurisdiction Court about this. As he informed, the duty officer of military base No. 102 checkpoint informed the policemen that the military base commander was on a work trip. However, the policemen were not informed as to who replaced the commander and who was competent in that matter.  

Earlier, on March 19, N. Martinyuk sent a note to Shirak region General Jurisdiction Court, informing that their position in regard to bringing the defendant to the Court had not changed, and the fulfillment of the Court’s requirements does not fall in the powers of the military base commander.

Let us remind that the defendant was not brought to the Court during the previous court sessions as the management of the military base required safety guarantees for A. Razgildeyev. 

HCA Vanadzor Chairman Artur Sakunts and HCA Vanadzor lawyers Arayik Zalyan and Hayk Hakobyan represent J. Ghukasyan’s legal successor’s interests in Court. 

Earlier, they had petitioned to take measures to eliminate the conditions that impede the administration of justice in the frame of this criminal case, i.e. the military base not bringing the defendant to the Court. During the court session held on February 4, A.Zalyan expressed his position that the defendant did not appear before the court based on an unreasonable excuse, and petitioned to apprehend the defendant in accordance with Article 303(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code. However, the Court rejected the petition. 

HCA Vanadzor also made a report to the RA Prosecutor General’s Office claiming that not bringing the defendant to the Court is a crime.