Ex-President Robert Kocharyan released from pre-trial detention
The Yerevan Court, under presiding judge Davit Grigoryan, ruled today to release Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan from pre-trial detention. Kocharyan is charged over the 2008 post-election events in Yerevan.
The decision was made considering the personal guarantees offered by Artsakh former and current presidents who earlier appeared in the court to sign the respective letter. Kocharyan has been set free on bail amounting 500 thousand AMD per each of the Artsakh current and former presidents.
The court hearing went amid large crowds gathered outside the Nor Nork branch of Yerevan’s Court of General Jurisdiction to either call for Kocharyan’s release or to demand he remain behind bars.
To remind, according to the indictment, Kocharyan is charged with overthrowing Armenia’s constitutional order during the March 1-2, 2008 post-election unrest in Yerevan, abusing his powers and taking a bribe of large amount during his tenure from 1998 to 2008. Kocharyan and his defense team strongly denies any wrongdoing and consider the charges as political persecution.