The Court of Appeals, under the authority of Judge Mnatsakan Harutyunyan, rejected Robert Kocharyan’s lawyers’ appeal and decided that Kocharyan is to remain in detainment.
On July 26, 2018, second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan was charged based on 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 August 13, 2018. On December 7, 2018 Kocharyan was arrested again following another ruling by the Court of Appeals.
Kocharyan’s lawyer Hayk Alumyan gave his judgment on the decision. “Even decisions such as this were predictable for us. I consider this to be a poor choice and the legal competence is equal to none. This decision is definitely a political one, one carried out under political orders. There is no legality in this decision.” He said that the court even ruled that release on bail will not be allowed.
Alumyan formally announced that Robert Kocharyan is a political prisoner.
Hripsime Jebejyan
