YEREVAN. – The Criminal Court of Appeal of Armenia on Tuesday is considering the appeal on overturning the court decision on remanding—and on the grounds of presidential immunity—second President Robert Kocharyan in custody .   

Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan is also in attendance to this court hearing, the Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informed from the courtroom.

To note, this is an unprecedented occurrence that the attorney general of the country is in attendance at the trial, in person.

Kocharyan also is in the courtroom.

Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan was charged 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.

On July 27, Kocharyan was remanded in custody for two months by a court decision. But on August 13, the Court of Appeal granted Robert Kocharyan’s legal defenders’ appeal to commute the first-instance court’s decision on remanding their client in custody, and Kocharyan was released from courtroom on the grounds that he had presidential immunity.

Both the Prosecutor General’s Office and the defense, however, appealed this decision. In addition, the defense argued that there were other grounds too for the release of their client.

On March 1 and 2, 2008, the then authorities of Armenia used force against the opposition members who were rallying in downtown Yerevan, and against the results of the then 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.