YEREVAN (Armenpress, Public Radio of Armenia) – Armenia’s former President Robert Kocharyan was released from custody on court order on August 13. The Court of Appeals ruled to release him from jail on the basis of his constitutional immunity.
Kocharian was jailed on July 27 on charges of violating constitutional order for sending police and soldiers to break up a post-election demonstration in Yerevan in March 2008 that saw 10 killed.
The ruling of the Court of Appeals was denounced by the Special Investigative Service, which described it as illegal, saying that the Court of Appeals “overstepped the bounds of its authority.”
After receiving the ruling, the Prosecutor General’s Office will submit an appeal in accordance with it, Vahagn Muradyan, an official of the Prosecutor General’s Office, told citizens protesting outside the office on August 14. The protestors had prevented Kocharyan from appearing at a press conference.
“We have already issued a statement that we have not received the decision of the Court of Appeals yet. We will receive that decision in one or two days, will discuss it and will submit an appeal in accordance with the issues mentioned in the decision,” Muradyan said. He added that the Prosecutor General’s Office has expressed its position in the Court of Appeals, and after receiving the decision they will submit an appeal in accordance with it.
Asked whether the Prosecutor General’s Office plans to submit an appeal to the Court of Cassation, Muradyan said yes. He refused to comment on the abovementioned statement of the Special Investigation Service.
