By Amalya Margaryan

The trial of 20 individuals charged with being members of a criminal gang uncovered by Armenian law enforcement in November 2015 got underway today at Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Court.

On November 25, 2015, Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) reported that it had uncovered the gang when officers raided a house in Yerevan’s Nork district, finding a cache of arms and ammunition. The NSS claimed that the gang planned to stage “serious crimes” and that Artour Vardanyan, a citizen of Armenia living in Spain since 1997, was the mastermind of the gang.

At today’s trial, presiding Judge Armen Bektashyan allowed public defense lawyers to submit oral motions to postpone proceedings so that they could review 37 volumes of case material. Judge Bektashyan scheduled the next trial session for January 13.

At the end of today’s session, Artour Vardanyan declared, “If the government belongs to the people, it cannot be seized.”

Eleven of the defendants are in pre-trial detention, 4 have signed affidavits not to flee the country, and three are on bail.

Anton Totonjyan, the alleged financier for the group now out after signing a no-flee affidavit, told reporters that the charges against him are fabricated.

One of the defendants is former Armenian Deputy Minister of Defense Vahan Shirkhanyan.

He is charged with being an accomplice to the conspiracy and of having secured large quantities of illegal arms and explosives in order to take over power in Armenia.