Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan’s press conference was scheduled in “Erebuni Plaza” hotel for today, but it failed to take place.
The press conference had not started yet when a group of demonstrators began violently hitting and kicking at the doors of the conference hall to get inside. They managed to enter the hall through the balcony where Kocharyan’s press conference was going to take place minutes later.
The demonstrators approached the table where Kocharyan was supposed to sit, drank the water served for him, and made a statement, “Kocharyan has no right to be in Armenia”. The started chanting, “murderer”, “villain”, etc. The demonstrators marched to the prosecutor’s office after their protest.
Activist Vardges Gaspari also made a protest lying in the press conference hall. He advised Kocharyan to organize a press conference in the cemetery of the 10 victims of March 1.
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.
On July 26, 2018, second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan was charged with a criminal offense on the basis of sufficient evidence obtained during the preliminary investigation by the Armenian Special Investigative Service on the criminal case on the events that took place in Yerevan from March 1, 2008 to March 2, 2008, under Article 300.1 Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia, for the fact that he overturned the constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia by prior agreement with other persons. On July 28, Kocharyan has been remanded into custody for two months. The Court of Criminal Appeals of the Republic of Armenia decided that President Robert Kocharyan should not remain in detention, and Kocharyan was released on April 13.
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
