YEREVAN. – A motion to recognize as an injured party is being discussed at Tuesday’s court hearing of the criminal case against Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan and several other former senior officials.

The defendants—Kocharyan, former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, former Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan, and former CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov—are accused of overthrowing the constitutional order. This case is part of the criminal case on the tragic events that occurred in Yerevan on March 1, 2008, and it is considered in a separate proceeding.

Presiding Judge Anna Danibekyan said that the motion to recognize Babken Mkrtchyan as an injured party was submitted to the court back in 2019, the motion was submitted by Mkrtchyan's legal representative Zorayr Harutyunyan, and given that they are present today in court, the latter had decided to consider this motion.

According to Mkrtchyan's attorney, his client is one of the police officers who was a victim during the March 1, 2008 events. Mkrtchyan is an injured party in the main case, too.

Kocharyan's lawyer Hayk Alumyan, in turn, asked the court for time to get acquainted with this motion because, according to him, it is a bit strange that the victim decided to submit a motion with a delay in terms of changing his status. The other defense attorneys supported their colleague.

As a result, the document was publicized, nonetheless.