Worsening health has forced Nerses Poghosyan, in pre-trial detention since last May on illegal weapons charges, to halt a hunger and water strike he started six days ago.

Poghosyan, implicated along with Jirayr Sefilyan and others for the illegal procurement and possession of arms and explosives, had demanded a review of the charges against him.

Specifically, Poghosyan argued that the court had grossly violated the law by prolonging his pre-trial detention.

Arayik Papikyan, Poghosyan’s lawyer, raised the alarm regarding his client’s worsening health earlier today.

“I’m very worried. Nerses was in a bad way,” Papikyan told Hetq after visiting Poghosyan at the Nubarashen Correctional Facility.

At the time, Papikyan said Poghosyan rejected his advice to call off the hunger and water strikes.

Afterwards, representatives from Armenia’s Human Rights Defender’s Office visited Poghosyan at the Nubarashen Clinic, during which time Poghosyan said he had decided to halt the strikes due to a drastic worsening of his health.

Poghosyan was then checked by physicians who prescribed a nutritional course of action for him.