YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The petition for self-withdrawal of the presiding judge Ruben Apinian will be examined at the January 23 sitting of the general jurisdiction court of Yerevan's Kentron and Nork-Marash communities that examines the case against the deputy director of the Matenadaran Arshak Banuchian and others. At the January 20 court sitting, the defence petitioned to be given 3 working days for preparing a petition. The petition of the defence was granted. Arshak Banuchain is charged with embezzlement and tax evasion while serving as executive director of the "Friends of Matenadaran" Fund. NT correspondent was informed by his defence lawyer Tigran Atanesian that the purpose of opening this case is to dismiss A. Banuchian from his post as deputy director of the Matenadaran. To recap, in connection with the February 19 presidential election and the March events in Yerevan, a criminal case was opened against A. Banuchian under the following articles of the RA Criminal Code: Article 225 Part 1 (organization of mass disorder), Article 154 Part 2 (hindrance to implementaion of a voter's free will), and Article 225 prim Part 1 (organization and holding of a public event in violation of the order envisaged by law). The case has been quashed, and A. Banuchian has been released.

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