YEREVAN. – The legal defenders of Robert Kocharyan on Wednesday filed a motion with the Court of Cassation, with a request to release Armenia’s second President from custody on bail.

As grounds for this motion, it is noted that more than four months have passed since the first instance court’s July 27 decision on remanding Kocharyan in custody, and since then he has not carried out any action to obstruct the criminal case.

So the defense finds that there are no grounds for any longer remanding Robert Kocharyan in custody.

As another grounds for this motion, it is stated that the second President’s freedom was restricted unlawfully, and therefore releasing him on bail would be the only means whereby the court can minimize the violation of Kocharyan’s rights.

Also, Robert Kocharyan’s attorneys have asked the Court of Cassation to determine the amount of the bail to be set.

With its ruling on December 7, the Criminal Court of Appeal upheld the first instance court’s July 27 decision on remanding Robert Kocharyan in custody. On the same day—December 7, Kocharyan handed himself over to a Yerevan penitentiary where he was arrested.   

Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan—along with several other former officials—has been 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 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 presidential election on February 19, 2008. 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.