On Monday, Armenia’s Criminal Court of Appeals made the decision to release Armenia’s former president Robert Kocharyan from custody. Kocharyan was detained on July 27 on charges of overthrowing the constitutional order during the 2008 post-election period. Kocharyan will hold a press conference tomorrow at Erebouni Plaza Hotel, where his office is located.
Kocharyan’s lawyer Aram Orbelyan announced the Court’s decision at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
Another Kocharyan lawyer, Ruben Sahakyan, said the Court of Appeals has satisfied Kocharyan’s lawyers’ appeal according to which the decision to detain him as a precautionary measure has been reversed.
Armenia’s Special Investigate Service questioned Kocharyan on July 26 as a witness in the March 1 case and the same day, he was immediately presented an accusation of toppling the constitutional order.
Kocharyan called the criminal proceedings launched against him a political reprisal.
Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and former Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, Yuri Khachaturov, was also charged on July 26, 2018 for overthrowing the constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia.
Former President’s Chief of Staff Armen Gevorgyan was also charged with obstruction of justice.
Background:
On February 19, 2008, Serzh Sargsyan became the president of Armenia. His opponent, the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossian and his supporters refused to accept the results of the election. For the next 10 days, there was round-the-clock sit-ins around the Opera, in Freedom Square. Then-President Robert Kocharyan announced a state of emergency and army subdivisions entered Yerevan. On March 1, government forces clashed with protesters resulting in the deaths of 8 civilians and 2 policemen, and roughly 300 injured. In the course of 10 years, no one has taken or borne any responsibility, including legal, for the deaths that occurred on March 1.
