The judge in Armenian 3rd president Serzh Sargsyan’s case retires to a deliberation room to discuss the application for a challenge to the prosecutor Arsen Martirosyan (PHOTOS).

The decision will be announced on Wednesday at 3pm.

Serzh Sargsyan’s lawyers submitted a motion to challenge the prosecutor Arsen Martirosyan. Lawyer Ruben Hakobyan noted the preliminary investigation on the case took place with a number of violations.

The first hearing on the criminal case against Armenia’s former president Serzh Sargsyan and others started in Yerevan.

The criminal case also involves former Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan, owner of Flash company Barsegh Beglaryan, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture Samvel Galstyan, and former head of the Ministry's Department of Crop Production Gevorg Harutyunyan.

Sargsyan was welcomed by his supporters near the court as he arrived for the first hearing on Tuesday. In a brief speech Sargsyan thanked the crowd saying they “came to defend justice”. Ex-president also mentioned the independence of Artsakh, which is above everything. He asked his supporters to return home, to engage in their daily work, but not forgetting about Armenia's security

Ex-officials are charged of organizing, inciting and assisting large-scale appropriation or squander, whereas former Minister of Agriculture under the article on large-scale appropriation or squander.