ECtHR obliges Armenia to pay 5500 euros to activist Vardges Gaspari

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has found that the right of the activist, Vardges Gaspari, to an impartial and fair trial had been violated.

As reported by the advocate Lusine Akopyan on April 3 in her Facebook page, on March 26, the ECtHR made its decision on the complaint filed in connection with the criminal prosecution of Vardges Gaspari after the events of March 1-2, 2008. Along with the compensation in the amount of 5500 euros, the ECtHR has obliged Armenia to pay 350 euros to him as reimbursement for his legal costs.

On November 10, 2008, the court sentenced Vardges Gaspari to a year in prison for "using force against a state official."

Mr Gaspari has told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the criminal case was opened against him on the basis of two policemen's testimonies that he "hadn't obey their lawful demand not to take part in an unsanctioned rally, and resisted them by blowing them."

Convicting a person based on testimonies of only two policemen contradicts the right to a fair and objective trial, Vardges Gaspari believes. "The court that had convicted me failed to take into account the defence's arguments, and also refused to invite witnesses to the trial, who could testify in my favour," he has added.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 4, 2020 at 05:19 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.