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The Yerevan Criminal Court of Appeals, under presiding judge Armen Danielyan, resumed on Wednesday morning hearings in the trial of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan and three other former senior officials Armen Gevorgyan, Seyran Ohanyan and Yuri Khachaturov prosecuted in connection with the March 2008 post-election events that left 8 civilians and 2 police officers dead.

Kocharyan’s lawyer Hovhannes Khudoyan said the ex-president finds it ‘inappropriate’ to attend the hearings. He next demanded that the judge recuse himself from the high-profile trial, citing his conduct during Tuesday’s hearing.

The attorney argued Danielyan ‘repeatedly and inappropriately’ interrupted the speeches of the defense lawyers, banned them from voicing objections to his actions and coming up with statements, thus showing an ‘arbitrary approach’ towards the rules of procedure.

Khudoyan also claimed the presiding judge factually refused to clarify the rights and responsibilities of the participants of the trial after the latter asked the court to.

Armenia’s Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan, in attendance of today’s hearing, objected to the demand, claiming the defense arguments are simply ‘a summary’ of yesterday’s hearing, lacking its most important points. He described the lawyer’s move as an attempt to artificially protract the trial.

The court is due to issue a ruling on the matter at 12pm.

During the previous hearing, Kocharyan’s lawyer Hayk Alumyan and a representatives of the victims’ legal successors, Seda Safaryan also requested the judge to recuse himself from the trial, which was turned down by Danielyan.