Hrachik Atoyan, leader of the “Shamshadin” unit in the Artsakh War, was called to the witness stand in the case of Hakob Hakobyan. The case is being heard at the Kentron and Nork-Marash Jurisdictional Court in Yerevan.

Mr. Atoyan, who goes by the moniker “Charlie”, managed the Shamshadin campaign office of Levon Ter-Petrosyan during last year’s presidential election season. He stood by the information earlier provided during the preliminary examination despite the fact that due to a head concussion he suffered during the war his memory isn’t faulty.

Judge Gagik Avetisyan shot down all attempts by defense attorney Melanya Aroustamyan to find out under what circumstances Mr. Atoyan was asked to give testimony during the pre-trial examination.

At first, the witness said he didn’t know Mr. Hakobyan, but when asked to look closer, he said he did.

Hakob Hakobyan stated that, “This individual is a historic figure who bore the weight of the war on his shoulders. Now, you’ve brought him here and are embarrassing him in the courtroom. By doing so the Karabakh movement is being slandered.”

Mr. Hakobyan went on to say that Hrachik Atoyan was awarded the Admiral Isakov medal by then Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan on February 4, 2008 and thus the “Yerkrapah” organization only publicly supported the candidacy of Levon Ter-Petrosyan after February 4. (During his earlier testimony, Mr. Atoyan had stated that the “Yerkrapah’s” had come out in support of Ter-Petrosyan as early as January 20.)

Mr. Atoyan stated in court that he hadn’t seen the defendant, Hakobyan, after February 4 and that no one gave him weapons or ammunition. He added that he couldn’t say anything that would link Hakobyan to the events of March 1, 2008.

During her questioning, Melanya Aroustamyan asked the witness if he had received a summons to appear in court and who might have accompanied him. “I saw the witness arrive in the presence of police. In other words, without a decision to have him appear he was psychically forced to come in,” she said.

The witness said that no one had forced him to show up at the court. Despite the fact that Judge Avetisyan struck the question from the record, Mr. Atoyan answered that he arrived at court with members of the Shamshadin police.

“I don’t have a car. That’s why the police escorted me here today,” the witness said

The court then was recessed for ten minutes.