“To think that Kocharyan will escape means to disrespect the position he once held. That is an insult and a form of psychological pressure. Knowing the path he took and his mistakes, I can say that my claim has been clearly thought out,” activist and first Human Rights Defender of Armenia Larisa Alaverdyan told reporters regarding claims that second President Robert Kocharyan would have escaped from investigation.
“Kocharyan is not the main problem. The problem is securing the independence of the court authorities,” Larisa Alaverdyan emphasized. Responding to the question of whether or not there are currently political prisoners, she said, “It seems that there are. Kocharyan’s lawyers have several reasons to claim that Kocharyan is a victim of political persecution.”
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 August 13, 2018. On December 7, 2018 Kocharyan was arrested again following another ruling by the Court of Appeals. A decision was made by the court on February 7, 2019 for him to remain in detainment.
Luiza Sukiasyan
