YEREVAN. – Today’s session of the Criminal Court of Appeal of Armenia is being held in the absence of second president Robert Kocharyan.

This is the first hearing presided over by Judge Lusine Abgaryan.

At the beginning of the hearing, lawyer Hayk Alumyan presented his client Robert Kocharyan's statement that he could not attend the hearing and had requested that it be held in his absence. The parties did not object.

Earlier, Judge Mkhitar Papoyan had granted the prosecution’s motion and recused himself from presiding over this hearing.

Robert Kocharyan's legal defenders have appealed the November 7 ruling of Judge Anna Danibekyan of the Court of First Instance, who had denied the motion to release Kocharyan on bail.