We will be able to give an assessment only after receiving the decision on selecting signature bond to not leaving Armenia as a precautionary measure for second President Robert Kocharyan.
Aram Orbelyan, one of Kocharyan’s attorneys, stated the abovementioned at a press conference on Wednesday.
“But taking into account the [Court of] Appeal’s decision that Robert Kocharyan was released on the grounds of [presidential] immunity and [therefore] a criminal prosecution can’t be carried out against him, any action aimed at carrying out criminal prosecution—and the precautionary measure refers to that, we initially believe that the decision of the SIS [Special Investigation Service] is not lawful,” Orbelyan said. “[And] if it really turns out that this decision is not lawful, we will appeal it.”
The attorney added that after the appellate court’s ruling, it is unlawful that a criminal prosecution is still in progress against Kocharyan.
Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan has been 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 has presidential immunity.
And on Tuesday, the SIS investigator decided that a signature bond to not leaving Armenia be selected as a precautionary measure against second President Robert Kocharyan.
On March 1 and 2, 2008, the then authorities used force against the opposition members who were rallying in downtown Yerevan, and against the results of the 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.
