Renowned lawyers Geoffrey Robertson and Amal Clooney may join Samvel Karapetyan's defense team
YEREVAN, July 24. /ARKA/. Renowned Australian-British lawyer and legal scholar Geoffrey Robertson (QC) expressed deep concern about the excessively harsh criminal procedural measures applied to Samvel Karapetyan, emphasizing the political context of the charges brought against him.
According to Robertson, the use of detention at the preliminary investigation stage, accompanied by unfounded and insufficient justifications provided by competent authorities, unfounded decisions made by courts, is contrary to the principle of the rule of law and the guarantees provided for by international law.
Robertson is currently considering the possibility of joining the international group of lawyers defending Samvel Karapetyan and supporting their claims in international organizations.
At subsequent stages of the submission of claims to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), Amal Clooney's participation in the process may be formally considered.
Geoffrey Robertson is the founder and director of the law firm Doughty Street Chambers.
He previously, together with Amal Clooney represented Armenia in the case of prosecution for genocide denial. Geoffrey Robertson is also known for his active position on the issue of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the protection of the rights of the people of Artsakh.
Karapetyan was arrested in June on accusations of calling for a power seizure after he publicly supported the Armenian Apostolic Church in its conflict with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration. Following the arrest, Pashinyan declared it was time to nationalize Karapetyan’s company, Electric Grids of Armenia, and the Armenian parliament passed laws allowing the state to seize it.
In response, the Karapetyan family filed a lawsuit at the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC), citing a 1995 bilateral investment treaty between Armenia and Cyprus.
On Tuesday, the SCC ruled that Armenia must halt any efforts to enforce the new legislation or confiscate the company, warning that such actions would hinder the family’s ability to recover damages if they lose control. This ruling is binding on the Armenian government.-0-
