YEREVAN. – The hearing of the criminal case against Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan and several other former senior officials has resumed Tuesday at the court of general jurisdiction of Yerevan.

The previous court session last week did not take place due to the absence of Erik Aleksanyan, the attorney of former Deputy Prime Minister—and defendant—Armen Gevorgyan. During the court hearing before that, the lawyer had tried to notify presiding Judge Anna Danibekyan that a Court of Appeals session—in the case against the aforesaid judge—was scheduled for the same day and time, but Danibekyan had not listened and scheduled the court hearing for the same day. Noting the lawyer’s absence in the courtroom last week, the judge had considered it disrespectful and promised to discuss the lawyer's behavior at the March 2 hearing.

The prosecution also had complained and informed about its intention to file a motion for "abuse of the protection of its rights." Earlier, the prosecution had tried to deprive the defense of its right to file motions. Despite all this, the prosecution does not complain that these court hearings are solely held once a week, which already hinders a speedy delivery of justice.