YEREVAN. – The holding of Tuesday’s court session on the criminal case against second president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and several other former senior officials is in question, as one of the defense lawyers may have the coronavirus.

At the previous hearing, Mihran Poghosyan, the lawyer of defendant Yuri Khachaturov, former head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, had told the court that he had no symptoms, except that he was running a fever on the second day, he had taken a test and the result was negative, but he was told at the medical center that he would have to take another test.

Defense lawyer Karen Mejlumyan said he had recovered from the infection.

Defense attorney Hayk Alumyan noted that if the court can ensure the social distance, there is no problem in holding the session. According to him, until the court gives such an opportunity, the process contradicts all the statements we hear from the authorities every day.

Defense lawyer Aram Vardevanyan reminded that the issue concerns the health of all those present.

Defense attorney Hovhannes Khudoyan reminded that he had raised the issue at the previous session and that the experience had shown that the illness of one participant stopped the whole process.

Defense lawyer Erik Aleksanyan agreed with his colleagues.

"Now my condition does not prevent me from participating in the sitting," Mihran Poghosyan said.

The presiding judge said that the court sessions are always held and there is no possibility of disinfection after each session.

Prosecutor Gevorg Petrosyan agreed with the need to maintain a social distance, but called the defense motion an attempt to prolong the process. Prosecutor Petros Petrosyan agreed with his colleague's opinion.

The judge suggested using the second part of the sessions’ hall and moving to the observation hall. But the lawyers mentioned the technical problems of such a decision.