Armenian Opposition Party Leader Released On Bail

Armen Martirosian was arrested on July 29 along with two other leading members of the party and an opposition activist.

A Yerevan appeals court has granted bail to the deputy chairman of the opposition Heritage party, who was charged in connection with a recent rally.

Armen Martirosian was arrested on July 29 along with two other leading members of the party and an opposition activist on charges of organizing mass disturbances during public protests on that day and remanded to pretrial detention earlier this month.

The court ordered Martirosian to pay 1 million drams (about $2,100) and to be freed pending trial.

Martirosian's release on bail comes one day after the Heritage party announced it was pulling out of local elections because of the recent arrests of Martirosian and his associates, David Sanasarian and Hovsep Khurshudian.

The party called the charges against them "fabricated," adding that the party will not take part in local elections to be held in September-October.