The Criminal Court of Appeal is considering on Wednesday Armenian ex-president Robert Kocharyan's attorneys' appeal of the ruling to keep Kocharyan under arrest.

Attorney Ruben Sahakyan authorized his colleague Hayk Alumyan to read out his motion. At the last meeting, the judge was interested in Kocharyan's opinion on some issues over his relation with persons who submitted personal guarantees. 

A second president is present at the trial to answer all the questions. Attorney Aram Vardevanyan presented a statement on Kocharyan's relation to ex-PMs of Armenia Vazgen Manukyan, Khosrov Harutyunyan, Karen Karapetyan, and Artsakh ex-PM Anushavan Danielyan.

Earlier, the court presided by Anna Danibekyan, rejected three petitions of Kocharyan's defense: on release on a personal guarantee, on release on bail, and on the change of preventive measure amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attorney Hayk Alumyan read out his colleague’s motion in this regard.

According to the lawyer, during that trial, 89 days of the hearing were postponed because of the judge - either she was on vacation or absent due to illness.

The court - while ruling on the case - did not analyze Kocharyan’s behavior before his arrest, did not take into account the fact that he himself returned to the country, and while being free he did not show the slightest sign of obstruction of the investigation.

The refusal to release Kocharyan under a personal guarantee was not justified at all, which contradicts the requirements of the European Court. Thus, the decisions of the court are arbitrary and contradict Article 5 of the Convention on Human Rights.

Meanwhile - amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Robert Kocharyan, being in a penitentiary, is forced to constantly communicate with employees, the motion added.