Ruling faction MP certain of Kocharyan case’s lawfulness

YEREVAN, JUNE 26, ARMENPRESS. The ruling My Step faction of parliament isn’t hurrying to comment on ex-President Robert Kocharyan’s case taking into consideration the separation of powers principle and the fact that all details of the case aren’t known yet.

My Step lawmaker Anna Karapetyan says she thinks there is no political persecution against Kocharyan and that the case is proceeding lawfully.

“Of course, in my opinion there is no political persecution,” she said during parliamentary press briefings.

Speaking about the court’s June 26 order to re-arrest Kocharyan, the lawmaker refrained to comment because in her words “she isn’t yet entirely familiar with the grounds of the court’s decision”. “There is no political persecution, the process is carried out lawfully and in conformity with the law,” Karapetyan said.

Her colleague Suren Grigoryan elaborated why the ruling faction doesn’t comprehensively speak about the case. “First of all, this stems from the principle of separation of powers. It would be wrong for the parliament – as the legislative power – to comment the circumstances of an individual court case within the framework of decisions made in it. The second reason is about content,” he said.

Karapetyan added that since the court decision was published only yesterday they didn’t manage to get acquainted with all grounds of it and therefore will not comment or express opinion at this moment.

Kocharyan, along with several other former officials, is charged with “overthrowing Constitutional Order” during the 2008 March protests in Yerevan when 8 protesters and 2 security officers died. The former President is accused of unlawfully ordering the military to intervene. He vehemently denies wrongdoing.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan