YEREVAN. – The legal defender submitted his withdrawal to the court during the examination of the appeal into the case of Ararat Khandoyan, who was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for participating in last year’s mass riots in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan.  

Legal defender Ara Gharagyozyan’s respective petition, however, was denied.

Separately, he told Armenian News-NEWS.am that the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has directed queries to the Armenian government regarding the Khandoyan case.

He added that they expect justice in this case solely outside Armenia.

According to the indictment, Ararat Khandoyan had committed violence against police officers during the aforesaid riots.