YEREVAN. – Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan’s attendance to the court hearing on the matter of the preventive measure regarding second President Robert Kocharyan gives reason to ponder.

Ruben Sahakyan, one of Kocharyan’s attorneys, on Thursday told the aforesaid to reporters at the Criminal Court of Appeal of Armenia.

“One of the [respective] variants is that the second President of the republic is before him; that’s why the prosecutor general has decided to come; it’s a sign of respect,” Sahakyan said. “And the second variant: perhaps he is attempting to correct those mistakes that occurred before that.”

And reflecting on the attorney general’s recent statement with respect to the need to remand Robert Kocharyan in custody again, the attorney said he disagreed with the prosecutor general, but added that he will say why solely in the courtroom.

The defense on Thursday will submit several motions.

It is the third day that the Criminal Court of Appeal is considering the appeal on overturning the court decision on remanding—and on the grounds of presidential immunity—second President Robert Kocharyan in custody.   

Robert Kocharyan was charged within the framework of the criminal case into the tragic events that transpired in capital city Yerevan on March 1 and 2, 2008—and under Article 300.1 Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code; that is, breaching Armenia’s constitutional order, in conspiracy with others.

On July 27, Kocharyan was remanded in custody for two months by a court decision. But on August 13, the Court of Appeal granted Robert Kocharyan’s legal defenders’ appeal to commute the first-instance court’s decision on remanding their client in custody, and Kocharyan was released from courtroom on the grounds that he had presidential immunity.

Both the Prosecutor General’s Office and the defense, however, appealed this decision. In addition, the defense argued that there were other grounds too for the release of their client.

On March 1 and 2, 2008, the then authorities of Armenia used force against the opposition members who were rallying in downtown Yerevan, and against the results of the then recent presidential election. Eight demonstrators as well as two servicemen of the internal troops were killed in the clashes. But no one had been brought to account for these deaths, to this day.