45 MPs have submitted a personal petition to change the detention as a preventive measure against second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, who was arrested for March 1 case and indicted for overthrowing the constitutional order. Viktor Soghomonyan, the head of the second president’s office, made a statement on this.
“The petition is signed also by the National Assembly Speaker Ara Babloyan and the 2 National Assembly Vice Speakers. Most of the MPs who have signed the petition are Republicans”, he informed.
Viktor Soghomonyan promised to publish the full list of the MPs one day when he has the permission of all the MPs: “That is a matter of ethics. The list also includes signatures of other MPs, including the members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation”.
Lawyer Hayk Alumyan, one of Robert Kocharyan’s defenders, said that the petition for changing the detention based on the personal guarantees of MPs has already been submitted to the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Armenia.
The investigation of the appeal against the rejection of the petition to change the detention as a preventive measure against Robert Kocharyan is scheduled for Tuesday, at the Criminal Court of Appeals of the Republic of Armenia.
Let us remind you, mass protests were held in Armenia, after presidential elections on 2008. The protests were organized by the supporters of the First President of Republic of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosian. During the protest held on March 1, 2008, clashes broke out between police and protesters. President Robert Kocharyan declared a 20-day state of emergency.
Luiza SUKIASYAN
