18:00, 19 January 2010

In Armenia, oppositional editor sentenced to 7 years in prison

Picket of Erevan community "Shengavit" next to the court of general jurisdiction house, during the trial concerning opposition activist, the "Armenian time" chief editor Nikolay Pashinyan. Erevan, October 21, 2009. Photo by the "Caucasian Knot"

Nikol Pashinyan, an activist of opposition and editor-in-chief of the newspaper named "Aikakan Zhamanak" (Armenian Time) was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment. This decision of the general jurisdiction court of Yerevan communities Centre-Nork Marash was passed today.

The well-known journalist Pashinyan who is kept in custody since July 2009 was accused of organizing mass disorders on March 1, 2008, under Article 225 of the Criminal Code - "Organization of mass disorders".

Armen Martirosyan, chairman of the "Heritage" Party, has condemned the verdict. According to his story, the Armenian justice continues passing decisions, which have nothing to do with the law and justice. "Armenia has political prisoners, because the country's legal system is completely controlled by the authorities," he told journalists.

According to Ovanes Igityan, an activist of the Armenian National Movement, the verdict to Nikol Pashinyan is a revenge taken by the authorities.

Pashinyan's advocates want to appeal against the verdict at higher instances.

Author: Lilit Ovanisyan

Source: CK correspondent