The trial on the Shant Harutyunyan case starts with a scuffle between the defendant and the police.
Harutyunyan seated his son Shahen Harutyunyan (who is also a defendant) on his knees and the police demanded that Shahen should take his own place, because it is required by the law. Shant shouted that he is not interested in the law. "I do not care for the law and for you!" he said. Shant's mother also started shouting. She demanded that the police should not touch her son. As soon as the trial started, Shant Harutyunyan said that one of the policemen was intimidating him.
To note, the previous proceeding was not calm either. On June 12, Yerevan resident Hayk Kyureghyan (born in 1983) climbed on a car parked outside the court in Downtown Yerevan, and stated that there was a bomb in the vehicle. Subsequently, the young man opened fire with the gun in his hand injuring several police officers, who were hospitalized. But Hayk Kyureghyan was caught, taken to a police station, and his gun was confiscated. A criminal case is instituted on the incident, and a respective investigation is underway.
To recall, Shant Harutyunyan was arrested on 5 Nov 2013 following the clashes between the law enforcers and the activists in Liberty Square in Yerevan. Harutyunyan is charged with organizing mass disorders but his supporters believe that the case is fabricated.