There are no grounds for bringing a new charge or reclassifying. This is what second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan’s attorney Aram Orbelyan told reporters after today’s court hearing.

Today the court ruled to terminate criminal prosecution against four accused under Article 300.1 (overthrow of the constitutional order) of the Criminal Code of Armenia. Earlier, the Constitutional Court had declared Article 300.1 unconstitutional. Criminal prosecution against former Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Yuri Khachaturov and former Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan has been completely terminated. As for Robert Kocharyan and former Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan, criminal prosecution will continue with regard to the case of alleged bribe. All four accused have been acquitted with regard to the part related to Article 300.1 (prosecution was terminated on the ground of absence of crime).

Orbelyan highlighted that the criminal prosecution was initially unlawful and asked reporters how much this cost for the state and taxpayers. He stated that the statute of limitations of Article 309 of the Criminal Code by which the prosecution is trying to reclassify the charge, has passed.

With regard to the main case regarding the deaths of people and the events that took place on March 1, 2008, Orbelyan mentioned the need for a thorough inquest to see whether there were murders or whether there was negligence and if there was an order.