Hayk Alumyan, the advocate of detained Robert Kocharyan, the Second President of the Republic of Armenia, referred to the announcement of the Head of the Special Investigative Service, Sasun Khachatryan, implying that upon the famous decree N. 0038 of Robert Kocharyan, the army was involved in the political processes. Kocharyan’s advocates insist that upon that decree the Second President has kept the army away from the inner-political processes in reality. As mentioned by Hayk Alumyan, the two Deputy Ministers of Defence, Manvel Grigoryan, and Gagik Melkonyan have offered their support to the protestors, which they were not allowed upon their position: “They had almost joined the “other side”. “Yerkrapah” Volunteers’ Union was holding discussions, which was an experienced and armed institution. So, imagine the situation.”
To the statement that upon the mentioned decree of the President, the troops had prepared for an attack, groups were formed, Hayk Alumyan responded: “It does not mean that those groups had to function at that moment. They aimed to prevent involving the army in the political processes.”
One of the advocates of Robert Kocharyan, Ruben Sahakyan, referring to the announcement of the head of the Special Investigative Service, implying that during the preliminary investigation Kocharyan had left the room of the investigation without explanations, mentioned: “On one hand he says that that behavior is not proper for Robert Kocharyan, on the other he says that not giving a statement is his right. Mr Sasun Khachatryan, make your thoughts clear to the public.”
As regards the estimations that Robert Kocharyan’s decree on the emergency situation was anti-constitutional, his advocate Sargis Grigoryan said: “Constitutional Court decides such matters. In the session of March 2 of the National Assembly, the MPs announced that that decree was legitimate and required.”
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
