YEREVAN. – The Shengavit District seat of the capital city Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction on Friday denied the motion by the attorneys of Armenia’s second president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan to commute their client’s pretrial measure by being released on bail.

Kocharyan’s legal defense team had motioned for commuting his pretrial measure of custody by either being released on bail or any other preventive measure not related to imprisonment. And the amount of the bail to be set was left to the discretion of the court.

The court had earlier denied the motion to abolish the second president’s pretrial measure. Following the issuing of this ruling, his attorneys immediately motioned that the ex-president to be either released on bail or on a signature bond to not leave Armenia.

Kocharyan’s lawyers, presenting the grounds for his release from custody, had stated that no piece of evidence had been submitted so far that would prove that, while in freedom, their client would influence persons involved in the criminal case, or obstruct the investigation of this case.

Robert Kocharyan is charged with overthrowing the constitutional order in Armenia in connection with the tragic events that occurred in capital city Yerevan in March 2008, and taking a particularly large bribe. He has been arrested three times.

On March 1 and 2, 2008 the then authorities of Armenia used force against the opposition members who were rallying in downtown Yerevan, and against the results of the presidential election on February 19, 2008. Eight demonstrators as well as two servicemen of the internal troops were killed in the clashes.