At Tuesday’s court session on the criminal case against second President Robert Kocharyan and former deputy prime minister Armen Gevorgyan—who is now an MP of the opposition “Armenia” Faction in the National Assembly—, the court refused to give the new defense lawyer a couple of days to get familiarized with the case materials.

The hearing started with Presiding Judge Anna Danibekyan stating that information was received from new defense lawyer Aleksandr Kochubayev that he could not attend today’s session, as he was attending another court hearing.

The other new defense lawyer, Lusine Sahakyan, asked the court to get acquainted with this message and publish it.

Also, Kochubayev had informed that he asks to change the scheduling of these court sessions.

The court informed that the case materials were sent to the two new defense lawyers.

Sahakyan, in turn, stated that she had not received them by e-mail, but by regular mail, and moreover, only on October 1, and not all the materials.

"It turns out that I was given [just] two working days to get familiarized [with these case materials]. [But] I do not have such 'talent,'" the lawyer added.

The court objected stating that the case materials were sent by e-mail on September 28.

"I can show my e-mail, I did not receive anything," the lawyer replied.

The court argued that enough time had been allotted to get familiarized with the case file. Judge Danibekyan added that it was not necessary to get familiarized with the whole volume, but only about what concerns the defendant.

The lawyer objected, saying that she has a law education and knows what she needs to get familiarized with.