Court defers examination of complaint of Kocharyan’s defense team on changing his preventive measure

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS. The Court of Appeal of Armenia will continue the examination of the complaint of Robert Kocharyan’s defense team on changing his preventive measure from pre-trial detention into release on bail on February 1, ARMENPRESS reports Kocharyan’s lawyer Hayk Alumyan said, adding that the hearing has been postponed.

The hearing will continue on February 1 at 15:00.

2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, who ruled the country from 1998 to 2008, spent two weeks in jail in summer of 2018, but was eventually freed. But on December 7, a higher court overruled the release and ordered him to be remanded into custody pending trial again.

At the time the court announced the verdict, Kocharyan turned himself in to authorities.

Kocharyan is charged for ‘overthrowing constitutional order’ during the 2008 post-election unrest, when clashes between security forces and protesters left 10 people dead, including two police officers, during his final days as president.

He vehemently denies wrongdoing.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan