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Dozens of supporters and detractors of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan standing trial for the 2008 post-election events, resumed protests outside the Yerevan court as the trial of the ex-president entered its fourth day today.

One of the pro-Kocharyan protesters urged the other group to refrain from making any defamatory statements about the former president. Meantime anti-Kocharyan protester Jivan Avetisyan stressed they are just expressing their subjective opinion and are not making insulting comments.

“The clash of subjective opinions should not lead to any national problem,” he said, adding the two rival groups have agreed to refrain from shouting insults at each other to avoid a conflict inside the nation.

Protests for and against Robert Kocharyan have been taking place outside the Yerevan court since 13 May, when the hearings in the trial of the former president got underway.

The hearings are focusing on the defense lawyers’ demand to release the ex-president from custody pending the outcome of the trial. The main hearings in the case will start after the presiding judge decides whether or not Kocharyan should remain under arrest.