Speaking to Armenian News-NEWS.am, Aram Orbelyan, the attorney of second President Robert Kocharyan who has been remanded in custody, had claimed that aside from the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), MPs from other parliamentary factions also had joined the signature campaign to commute the court decision on remanding Kocharyan in custody.  

But names are not publicized yet as to from which factions these signatories are, and it is only said that the number of signatures was growing.

Speaking to Armenian News-NEWS.am, National Assembly “Tsarukyan” Faction Secretary Vahe Enfiajyan said he had not joined this signature campaign.

When asked whether he rules out the possibility that some MPs from his faction also might have signed under this petition in Kocharyan’s defense, Enfiajyan responded as follows, in particular: “I myself can say on by behalf that I rule out such mood linked to other people.”

As for Prosperous Armenia Party’s—which the “Tsarukyan” Faction is affiliated to—not issuing a statement in connection with the second President’s custody, Vahe Enfiajyan said individual lawmakers had expressed a view that this was a legal process.

The said signature campaign was launched by the NA faction of the RPA.

As reported earlier, a charge has been brought against second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, former Defense Minister Mikayel Harutyunyan, and incumbent Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary General and Armenia’s former Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Khachaturov, within the framework of the criminal case into the tragic events that transpired in capital city Yerevan on March 1 and 2, 2008—and under Article 300.1 Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code; that is, breaching Armenia’s constitutional order, in conspiracy with others.

Since Harutyunyan is not in Armenia, a search for him was declared. And on July 27, Khachaturov was released on bail, whereas Kocharyan was remanded in custody for two months by a court decision.

On the evening of July 26, ex-President Robert Kocharyan had given an interview, during which he had said the criminal case against him was trumped-up and a political vendetta.

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 had been brought to account for these deaths, to this day.