4.  The applicant was born in 1956 and lives in Yerevan. 5.  On 19 February 2008 a presidential election was held in Armenia, which was followed by daily protest rallies held at Yerevan’s Freedom Square from 20 February onwards by the supporters of the main opposition candidate, Mr Ter-Petrosyan. The applicant was the head of Mr Ter‑Petrosyan’s election headquarters in the town of Abovyan and regularly attended the rallies. On 1 March 2008 the assembly at Freedom Square was dispersed by the police, causing mass protests throughout Yerevan. 6.  On 8 March 2008 the applicant was summoned to a local police station in Abovyan where he was questioned about the leaflets that he had prepared and distributed among the demonstrators during the rallies. 7.  On 11 March 2008 the applicant was charged with organising mass disorder and an attempt to usurp State power. 8.  On the same date the Kentron and Nork-Marash District Court of Yerevan (the District Court) ordered the applicant’s pre-trial detention for a period of two months, namely until 8 May 2008, taking into account the nature and the gravity of the imputed offence and the severity of the punishment prescribed for it. By the same decision the District Court refused the applicant’s request to be released on bail. 9.  On 14 March 2008 the applicant lodged an appeal, arguing that the investigating authority had not presented any evidence to substantiate the need for his detention. 10.  On 21 March 2008 the Criminal Court of Appeal decided to dismiss the applicant’s appeal, holding that the fact that the applicant had been accused of a grave offence punishable by up to ten years’ imprisonment increased the probability of his evading criminal punishment. Furthermore, it was unacceptable to release the applicant on bail in view of the fact that, if at large, the applicant could abscond, obstruct the proceedings, commit another offence, evade responsibility and punishment, and continue to breach public order. As to the applicant’s good character, mentioned by him in his appeal, this was not sufficient to justify lifting the detention order. 11.  On 4 May, 2 July, 3 September and 30 October 2008 the District Court extended the applicant’s detention on the same grounds, on each occasion by two months. 12.  On 19 May, 18 July, 19 September and 16 November 2008 the Criminal Court of Appeal dismissed the applicant’s appeals against those decisions. 13.  On 10 December 2008 the trial court decided to set the case down for trial, ruling in the same decision that the applicant’s detention was to remain unchanged. 14.  On 22 June 2009 the District Court found the applicant guilty of making public calls inciting a violent overthrow of the government, and imposed a two-year sentence. It further decided to absolve the applicant from serving his sentence under a general amnesty declared by the Armenian parliament on 19 June 2009. The applicant was immediately released from detention.