The final court hearing regarding the raid on the “Ban” club, scheduled for August 11 at the Court of Appeals, has been postponed due to the sudden replacement of the prosecuting attorney. Closing arguments from all parties involved, including the statement from the new prosecutor, will be heard on August 19. It remains unclear why the previous prosecutor refused to sign the indictment at the last minute.
As a reminder, a serious charge has been brought against 32-year-old Elizaveta Danilicheva following the club raid. The psychotropic substances discovered on the club’s premises were attributed to her, resulting in a potential prison sentence of up to 6 years on drug trafficking charges. Elizaveta admits to intending to use drugs but categorically denies any involvement in their sale. Despite testimony from defense witnesses, the court of first instance deemed them unreliable without providing substantial reasoning.
Defense attorney Artashes Hovhannisyan notes that the prosecution largely ignores new evidence and facts presented in court, continuing to rely on the initial charges. Liza’s friends and activists regularly attend the hearings, expressing concern over the targeted prosecutions carried out under the guise of the war on drugs. They highlight the indifference shown by judges and the focus on irrelevant moralizing questions, which they believe overshadow the possibility of a fair trial.
The fight against drugs is often transformed into a tool for the law enforcement system, where individual rights and arguments are sidelined. In this case, the question arises: does the change in prosecutor signal a new approach, or is it merely a formality to maintain the previous charges?
It is notable that the situation created by these club raids demonstrates how migrants or individuals lacking public support can find themselves at the center of systemic pressure. The upcoming August 19 hearing will be a litmus test to see whether the court will analyze the presented facts or continue to remain within the framework of the indictment.
