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The lawyers of Armenian ex-president Robert Kocharyan have condemned the country’s Special Investigative Service (SIS) for alleged interference into the justice process involving Kocharyan.

Sargis Grigoryan, one of the lawyers, specifically pointed to statements by the SIS Chief Sasun Khachatryan in a televised interview to Public TV channel where the latter presented in detail the grounds for the charges pressed against Robert Kocharyan and the arrest as the only optimal measure of detention

“To me, the analysis presented by the SIS Chief with regard to an individual criminal case is an interference into an administration of justice,” Grigoryan stressed. In his words, the Khachatryan’s statements may be regarded as pressure on the judicial system, especially ahead of the upcoming hearing by the Court of Appeals over the petition to reverse the ex-president’s detention measure.

“The Armenian legislation clearly states that state bodies should refrain from interferences and discussions that may endanger the court process. I regard the public statements by the SIS Chief as a direct interference into the justice process,” added the lawyer.

Another lawyer Hayk Alumyan stressed that the chief of the SIS should not make any statements that may violate one of the fundamental principles of the justice system - the presumption of innocence.

To remind, Robert Kocharyan is arrested for two months.  The former president was taken into custody from the court hall last week, accused of “overthrowing the constitutional order in the country with a group of people” in the scope of the criminal investigation into the post-election crackdown following the presidential elections of 2008 during which eight civilians and two police officers were killed.

The Chief of the Special Investigation Service (SIS) of Armenia Sasun Khachatryan stated in a televised interview on Friday that remanding Robert Kocharyan into custody is necessary at the moment to ensure an independent investigation.