Viktor Soghomonyan calls for ex-president’s immediate release
The criminal case and charges brought against the Armenian ex-president Robert Kocharyan are unlawful, Viktor Soghomonyan, the head of Kocharyan’s office stated on Saturday at a press conference held in Yerevan. Soghomonyan, who appeared at a press conference along with Kocharyan’s lawyers, described the case as “persecution on implicitly political and personal motives.”
The head of Kocharyan’s office expressed deep regret that the case [March 1-2 events] of such an importance for the Armenia’s history was used for political purposes.
“I am extremely worried that the actions and statements by the country’s acting leadership are diametrically opposed to one another,” Soghomonyan said.
To remind, Robert Kocharyan was arrested for two months by the Yerevan court ruling issued late on Friday. Kocharyan was taken into custody from the court hall, accused of overthrowing the constitutional order in the country with a group of people after the post-election crackdown in the aftermath of the presidential elections in 2008 during which eight civilians and two police officers were killed.
One of the Kocharyan’s lawyers Robert Sahakyan, meanwhile, suggested the criminal case will be probably dismissed due to lack of evidence. Sahakyan also questioned the Investigative body’s decision to summon the ex-president as an accused despite the fact Kocharyan was invited for interrogation in the status of a witness.