Lidya Mantashian, who actively participated in massive antigovernment protests led by Galstanian last year, was among 15 of those defendants arrested and charged in June with plotting “terrorist acts” in a bid to seize power. They all deny the accusations.
The court in Yerevan repeatedly refused to release Mantashian from custody after they and three other Galstanian supporters went on trial in August. The judge presiding over the trial, Karen Farkhoyan, instead freed or moved to house arrest 11 other suspects pending a verdict in the case.
As recently as on November 20, Farkhoyan allowed prosecutors to hold Mantashian in detention for three more months. The decision drew strong condemnation from opposition figures, human rights activists and media. Critics said that the judge and prosecutors are singling her out for harsh treatment on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s orders.
In a clear response to the outcry, Farkhoyan on Thursday granted defense lawyer Tatevik Soghoyan’s request to free her client on bail for now. He also restricted Mantashian’s freedom of movement.
The trial prosecutors did not object to the decision. They claimed last week that Mantashian could obstruct the trial if set free.
“I am sure that such a decision would not have been made if it were not for the broad public reaction,” Soghoyan told reporters. “This can be considered the result of public pressure, not a victory for justice.”
Galstanian and his supporters were arrested on June 25 amid Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s controversial efforts to oust the top clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church opposed to his concessions to Azerbaijan. The authorities have since also arrested and indicted dozens of other critics of Pashinian in what the Armenian opposition calls an intensifying government crackdown on dissent. They have denied any political motives behind these cases.
