The face of Armenia today.

If you remember, on March 1, while the paramilitaries were beating up and killing the opposition demonstrators, a couple of shops were looted not far away. The government propaganda machine immediately used the footage of the looting to claim that it was the demonstrators who did it. The opposition, on the other hand, claimed that the looters actually hauled some of the stolen items in police cars.

Time went by and three of the looters were brought to justice. It turned out that all three were connected with the regime, and one of them was actually Serj Sargsian's representative during the so called presidential elections.

As time passes, new and new evidence emerges that shows that the looting was actually planned and conducted by the regime. Aravot has an article where they describe the court procedure of one of the looters (many thanks to Narjan for having the link).

Հուլիսի 11-ին Վճռաբեկ դատարանի մամուլի քարտուղարը տեղեկացրեց Երեւանի քրեական դատարանի կայացրած դատավճռի մասին, որով Սարգիս Մկրտչյանը մեղավոր ճանաչվեց մարտի 1-ի գիշերը կողոպուտ կատարելու մեջ, դատապարտվեց ազատազրկման՝ 1 տարի ժամկետով: Սակայն դատարանը վճռեց նրա նկատմամբ քրեական հետապնդումը դադարեցնել ու նրան արդարացնել ՀՀ քրեական օրենսգրքի 225-րդ հոդվածի 2-րդ մասով («Զանգվածային անկարգությունները»)՝ արարքի մեջ հանցակազմ չլինելու հիմքով: Փաստորեն՝ այս անձնավորության գործողությունները սահմանափակվել են միայն կողոպուտով, նա հանրահավաքի մասնակից չէ:

Here is the translation.

On July 11 the press secretary of the Appeals Court informed us about the verdict of the criminal court in Yerevan where Sargis Mkrtchyan was found guilty for robbery on March 1 and was sentenced to 1 year in prison. But the court decided to stop the proceedings against him and find him not guilty for violating article 225, paragraph 2 of the criminal code (mass disturbances) for lack of evidence against him. So, the actions of this person were limited to robbery, he was not a participant in the demonstrations.

To sum up. A looter commits a major crime and is given 1 year sentence for robbery (he was not a demonstrator). People who did not commit any crimes are being given 2 to seven years prison sentences (they may have taken part in the demonstration). The bandits are given a preferential treatment by the justice system.

A handful of people question the reasons why there is a widespread demand for the regime to leave, or why we call them a 'banditocracy'. After this, do they still think the same way? Do they want to live in a country with such a justice system?

Probably not.

Update: BeautySavesWorld has a slide show of this report on YouTube.