Armenian second president Robert Kocharyan’s lawyers - Hovhannes Khudoyan and Aram Orbelyan - submitted a motion to end the criminal prosecution.

Hovhannes Khudoyan noted that petitions of similar content had already been submitted. The current one is a more augmented option.

The lawyer thanked the judge for the application of sanctions so that the society would not have the false impression that an objective process was going on.

According to the lawyer, the accusation against Robert Kocharyan contradicts the previously adopted legal acts. 

Counsel recall that the criminal prosecution of seven participants in the events of March 1, 2008 under Article 300.1 was discontinued. The lawyer listed the events of March 1 and the subsequent period described elaborately in the criminal case.

“This is a judicial act in legal force,” the lawyer noted, adding that what was presented at this court was contrary to what was described. If new circumstances occur, cases must be reviewed, and the charge presented here is contrary to practice.

Speaking of the presumption of innocence, the lawyer noted a periodic violation in relation to the defendants, unjustified decisions on the seizure of property were applied.

The defense does not provide all the materials of the case, but only the materials ‘confirming guilt’, according to the characteristics of the investigator. 

Continuing the presentation of his colleague, lawyer Aram Orbelyan noted that Khachatryan continues to remain in office, make statements and is not dismissed. He referred to Lithuanian experience when the ECHR, due to similar statements by officials, recorded a violation of the presumption of innocence. A violation of the presumption of innocence is a sufficient reason to dismiss the case, Orbelyan noted.

According to Hovhannes Khudoyan, the investigation with this approach goes from end to beginning - trying to prove his position on guilt, looking for evidence of guilt, and not trying to reveal all the circumstances. For example, in the case of conflicting testimonies, do not conduct confrontations, but select only indications of an accusatory nature.