The appeal of French-Armenian attorney Patrick Arapian, seeking to overturn a decision by the Georgian Ministry of Justice that prohibited him from registering as the defense lawyer of Javakhk Armenian activist Vahagn Chakhalyan, was denied by a Georgian court today. Mr. Arapian's lawyer, Nino Andriashvili , told "Hetq" that they expected the appeal to be denied since at an earlier session the prosecution had entered into evidence new changes to Georgian law that prohibit foreign attorneys from defending citizens of Georgia. On April 6, 2009, a Georgian lower court found Vahagn Chakhalyan guilty on all counts (illegal weapons possession, organizing public disturbances, resisting arrest) and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. The appeal of Vahagn Chakhalyan is scheduled for July 22. His lawyers have already made two motions in the case; a forensic examination of the weapons found in his home and the right to question those individuals who provided testimony against him but who weren't interrogated at the Court of First Instance. Specifically, the defense has requested that Akhalkalak Police Chief Samvel Petrsoyan and his son, Gevorgy Petrosyan, be subpoenaed to appear. Yesterday, Vahhagn Chakhalyan's lawyer, Stepan Voskanyan, visited his client in a Tbilisi jail and reports that he is in good spirits. The lawyer even says that Mr. Chakhalyan continues to write even behind bars and that he has composed some 300 pages of poetry,