TESTIMONY OF THE WITNESSES IS BEING HEARD AT THE TRIAL IN STEPANAKERT

PanARMENIAN.Net - 09.10.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. Today, after a day's break which was caused by the bad health condition of the lawyer of RNK ex defense minister Samvel Babayan, the trial of the case of the terrorist act against RNK President was resumed in Stepanakert.

As the correspondent of MEDIAMAX reports from Stepanakert, the testimonies of 7 witnesses were heard at the trial. In particular, the chief of the headquarters of the military unit of RNK Defense Army Alexander Gasparian noted that at the meeting in December 1999, held in RNK Defense Ministry on Samvel Babayan's initiative, the question of the possible discharge of the latter from the Commander's post, as well as his future stay in Nagorno Karabakh was discussed.

One of the guards of Babayan's house, Andrey Avsharian confirmed that about 2 hours after the terrorist act on March 22, weapon, brought by Samvel Babayan was transferred to the car of Babayan's guards by the order of one of the accused, David Gulian. According to D. Gulian, he gave the weapon to the guards by the order of Sasun Aghajanian, who is considered the direct executor of the terrorist act.

The trial of the case of the March 22 terrorist act against RNK president Arkady Ghukasian started on September 18 in Stepanakert. The main accused of the case is RNK ex defense minister, Lieutenant-General Samvel Babayan. -0-