The Yerevan court session to consider the motion to remand second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan in custody has reconvened on Friday morning. 

As per the Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter at the scene, it is assumed that Kocharyan has come to court, since the cars accompanying the second President are in the area.

The investigator and the prosecutor had submitted the aforementioned motion to court on Thursday evening. But since Robert Kocharyan was not in the courtroom, the hearing was rescheduled to Friday 11am.

According to his legal defenders, however, Kocharyan was not properly notified, and that was why he had not appeared in court on Thursday evening. 

“It’s just that it’s necessary to properly notify,” Ruben Sahakyan, one of the second President’s attorneys, had told reporters. “He didn’t receive a [respective] writ.”

Robert Kocharyan on Thursday was questioned at the Special Investigation Service (SIS), and in connection with the criminal case into what had occurred in capital city Yerevan on March 1 and 2, 2008. Subsequently, criminal charges were brought against the second President of Armenia for breaching, and with prior agreement with other persons, the constitutional order of the country.

Similar charges had earlier been filed against former Defense Minister Mikayel Harutyunyan, along the lines of this criminal case, and a search for him was declared.

Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov, who was serving as head of Yerevan Garrison during the events that transpired in Yerevan on March 1 and 2, 2008, also was questioned Thursday at the SIS, and within the framework of the said criminal case.

On March 1 and 2, 2008, the then authorities used force against the opposition members who were rallying in downtown Yerevan, and against the results of the recent presidential election. Eight demonstrators as well as two servicemen of the internal troops were killed in the clashes. But no one has yet been brought to account for these deaths.