YEREVAN, ARMENIA – Today, the matter of ARF member, Artsakh war veteran Gerasim Vardanyan’s detention order was heard in Yerevan’s Common Jurisdiction Court.
Vardanyan was arrested on May 12 while organizing and participating in massive protests by the opposition “Resistance” movement aimed at forcing Pashinyan to resign over his pro-Turkish and anti-Artsakh policies. Vardanyan has been held in custody for two months under a “preventive” detention order, which was originally supposed to be in effect for just one month.
Public prosecutor Aram Aramyan demanded to keep Vardanyan’s “preventive” detention order in effect.
Vardanyan’s defense attorney Benik Galstyan asked the court to either dismiss the order or replace it with a non-custodial detention order with a stipulation for Vardanyan to remain in the country, a personal guarantee from parliamentarians, and bail in the amount of not more than 3 million AMD, which could be paid by Vardanyan’s friends or attorney. Vardanyan has not been able to post the original bail amount of 60 million AMD ($150,000 USD).
However, the presiding judge Karen Farkhoyan ruled to leave the “preventive” detention order in place, extending Vardanyan’s denention by another two months.
