YEREVAN. – “Political prisoner” is not a political, but a legal assessment. Hayk Alumyan, a lawyer of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan, stated about this in an interview on Monday.

"But when we talk in court about political persecution, the court interrupts us and does not allow us to continue; this is done to hide what is happening from the public. But I believe the public is becoming more and more aware of what is hidden behind all this and why it is being done. Imagine that Armenia’s authorities have decided to hand over some territory. Who should and could have organized a reaction? Persecution has begun, for various reasons, against many such people, and this case [against Kocharyan and several other former senior officials] was the most important in this regard. We have seen political persecution since day one, and now it is clear to everyone what the goal is," said the lawyer.

Alumyan stressed that the process was unfair from the beginning. According to him, this case has not been assigned to Judge Anna Danibekyan by chance. It was taken from Judge Davit Grigoryan, and a criminal prosecution was launched against him immediately after his decision to release Kocharyan from custody.

"Before the case was transferred to Judge Danibekyan, the authorities had already shown that they would fight uncompromisingly against the judges who would dare to put Kocharyan's rights above the orders given by the authorities," the lawyer said.

According to him, it is clear for Judge Danibekyan that the authorities will not tolerate a decision that PM Nikol Pashinyan will not like. At the same time, he stressed that if in the past the participants—such as the prosecutors—in these violations had carried out orders, now that the purpose is clear, they must change their attitude.

"We are deeply convinced that Judge Anna Danibekyan cannot administer justice in this case," Hayk Alumyan concluded.