Yesterday two policemen charged with using excessive force during attempts to control crowds on March 1 and 2, 2008, pleaded innocent to the charges and stated that they acted within accepted police norms. Gegham Grigoryan and Andranik Manoukyan, the two police officers facing the criminal charges that are punishable by 2-6 years in jail, declared their innocence yesterday at the Kentron and Nork-Marash District Court. The first witness called to testify was Artur Khachatryan, Commander of the RoA Police Department’s First Company Commander. He testified that they were ordered to the indoor market on Mashtots Avenue where they had been informed that looting of stores was occurring. When they arrived, the street was packed with people who dispersed after seeing the police show up. Commander Khachatryan testified that three individuals remained. They were ordered into a patrol wagon and one complied with the order while the other two began to hurl profanities at the police, cursing their parents as well. The witness went on to state that the law-breakers were not taken to the nearest police station because they apologized for their actions. He said that the police were certain that they weren’t involved in the looting either. Prosecutor Ashot Nadoyan then asked, "Did State Security Service Officers Grigoryan and Manoukyan use force?" The witness replied that the officers may have hit them once or twice but that they didn’t cause bodily damage and that they were "good" officers. Mr. Khachatryan agreed that it wasn’t up to the officers to decide whether or not the citizens were guilty and release them, however the commander said they felt sorry for them Today, the witness will be cross-examined by the defense team. Yesterday two policemen charged with using excessive force during attempts to control crowds on March 1 and 2, 2008, pleaded innocent to the charges and stated that they acted within accepted police norms.