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The member of Armenia’s former president Robert Kocharyan defense team Hayk Alumyan has suggested judges avoid hearing the case of the ex-president.
“I see judges have no desire to hear the case and try to avoid it by all means. This comes from what I see - the immense pressure put on judges in the scope of the current case. To my understanding, the judges face dilemma – if they choose to act in accordance with the law, Kocharyan should benefit from their judgments, on the other way they realize all the consequences of that option. This is the main dilemma that makes judges avoid the case,” Alumyan told reporters.

To remind, presiding judge Nelly Baghdasaryan recused herself on Monday from hearing the bail plea of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan. The move came after the state persecutors filed a self-withdrawal motion to the court on Wednesday. Earlier, judge David Grigoryan stated about his recusal.

Kocharyan’s lawyers filed a motion to a Yerevan court of general jurisdiction to free the ex-president on bail on 26 December 2018, asking the court to determine its amount. On December 28, the court delayed the hearing of the appeal following one of the prosecutor’s argument that the working day was over, rescheduling it on January 9.