YEREVAN. – The political persecution against Robert Kocharyan is carried out by the authorities—and directly by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, under the guise of criminal proceedings. Viktor Soghomonyan, head of the office of the second President of Armenia, stated this at a press conference on Monday.

“I believe no one any longer doubts that the guise of this criminal prosecution is gradually wearing off—if not to say, it has completely worn off and has just become a subject of mockery,” he added, in particular.

“The [criminal] case against Kocharyan that was made up is unlawful, his custody is also unlawful, and what is taking place has nothing to do with the solving [of the case] of the March 1 [2008] casualties.

“The actions and statements of the current authorities diametrically differ (…); this is a political persecution.”

Soghomonyan stated that this is disrespect toward justice.

“We were saying that the society will grasp what is happening,” head of the office of the second President of Armenia stressed. “Today the society grasps in which section, in which part.”

On March 1 and 2, 2008 the then authorities of Armenia used force against the opposition members who were rallying in downtown capital city Yerevan, and against the results of the presidential election on February 19, 2008. Eight demonstrators as well as two servicemen of the internal troops were killed in the clashes.

Second President Robert Kocharyan is charged with overthrowing the constitutional order in Armenia in connection with the aforesaid events, and taking a particularly large bribe.

The Criminal Court of Appeal overturned the first instance court’s decision on releasing Kocharyan from custody, and it ruled that he be remanded in custody yet again.