YEREVAN. – The court on Tuesday upheld the decision to seize property belonging to the second president of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, and to former deputy prime minister Armen Gevorgyan.

The defense’s motions to lift the seizure of this property are already being discussed in two court sessions.

After hearing the defense’s arguments, presiding Judge Anna Danibekyan agreed with the defense that the assessment of the abovementioned should be carried out by the investigator, but noted that she had suggested that the defense conduct its own assessment to expedite the process.

But the defense refused to do so, and the court respects that position. However, it cannot resolve the issue without assessing the property, and it will return to the issue after examining its integrity. "The consideration of the lawsuit is postponed until the value of the property is decided," the judge said.

But defense attorney Hayk Alumyan objected, stating that the court had expressed a factual opinion that the investigator's illegal decision might remain in force to some extent. In other words, the court upheld its decision on the illegality of the investigator's decision, thus contradicting itself, the lawyer concluded. Defense attorneys Hovhannes Khudoyan and Erik Aleksanyan also spoke out against the presiding judge's actions.

The court informed that Sedrak Asatryan, the representative of Sedrak Kocharyan—the son of Robert Kocharyan, also submitted a motion to revoke the seizure of the property, as well as Samvel Manasaryan. Taking into account that they are connected with the motions of Hayk Alumyan and Erik Aleksanyan, those motions will also be considered later.