Your trusted source

A group of supporters of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan are staging a protest outside the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) building in Yerevan against court illegalities which they claim is a result of the council’s inaction.

Protesters urge the judicial watchdog to guarantee the independence and proper functioning of the judicial system. They demand a meeting with the SJC chairman.

“The council is entitled to guarantee the functioning of the judicial system in Armenia in accordance with the law and the Constitution," said one of the protesters.

Commenting on the criminal case involving Kocharyan, the protester said there has been a chaos in the ex-president’s case for one year already, with no court set to consider the matter of his arrest.

Kocharyan supporters said the protests enter their third day on Monday, but they have received no response from any structure yet.

Speaking to reporters, lawyer Vahe Yeprikyan stressed human rights are violated in the case of Kocharyan and many others, stressing the SJC must record those violations and set up a fair court to deal with the ex-president's case. 

Organizers of the rally were later informed that members of the council cannot meet them now as there is an ongoing consultation at the SJC.

However, protesters voiced their intention to wait will the consultation is over.