Judge Davit Grigoryan, whose powers as a judge have been suspended by force of law and a criminal case has been filed against him, on Wednesday issued a statement.

“Yesterday I was charged, which I consider ungrounded and do not accept,” the statement reads, in particular. “Today, however, I wish to extend special thanks to about 100 attorneys who have publicly expressed their willingness to defend me along the lines of the criminal case.

“Dear friends, (...) I am convinced that all of you are very well aware of what is really going on, and that your step is aimed not so much at supporting Judge Davit Grigoryan, but ruling out pressure and persecution on the road to establishing an independent judicial system in our Homeland.

“I am proud and touched by the fact that (...) attorneys have not remained apathetic to developments.

“There is no alternative to the establishment of justice in Armenia, and along that road, the role of attorneys has always been important—and will continue to be.”

Davit Grigoryan is the judge presiding over the criminal case involving Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan and several other former senior officials. He had commuted Kocharyan’s pretrial measure of custody and ruled for his release from custody.