Armenian lifer released from jail on health grounds - for first time in country
The general jurisdiction court (chaired by Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan) of Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts of Yerevan has ruled that Soghomon Kocharyan ,a man serving a life sentence, shall be released from prison on health grounds.
An interdepartmental medical commission held a sitting on October 8 and decided that life-termer Soghomon Kocharyan should be set free. The commission’s conclusion was filed to the general jurisdiction court of Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash districts.
S. Kocharyan, a disabled war veteran, has been receiving treatment at Surb Grigor Lusavorich medical center since August this year. He was diagnosed with ischemic cardiomyopathy, chronic cardiac aneurism, and pneumonia. These diseases are on the government-approved list that does not allow keeping a convicted person in custody.
It is noteworthy that it is the first time in the history of independent Armenia that a lifer has been released on health grounds.