A court in Yerevan on Friday refused to allow law-enforcement authorities to arrest a former senior aide to ex-President Robert Kocharian on a string of criminal charges.
Armen Gevorgian was first charged in August with obstructing justice in the wake of a disputed presidential election held in February 2008, two months before Kocharian served out his second and final term.
Earlier this week, Armenia’s Special Investigative Service (SIS) also accused Gevorgian of involvement in an “overthrow of the constitutional order,” bribery and money laundering. The SIS asked the district court to sanction his pre-trial arrest.
The court refused to do that for reasons that were not immediately made public.
“I think that the court made a really just decision,” Gevorgian told reporters after the announcement of the ruling.
“That doesn’t mean the case is closed,” he said. “We will continue to work and present our arguments, protest my innocence and show that the accusations are unfounded.”
It is not yet clear whether prosecutors will appeal against the ruling.
The SIS brought the three accusations against Gevorgian four days after Kocharian was arrested on charges of illegally using the armed forces against opposition supporters who protested in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008. The SIS says that amounted to an “overthrow of the constitutional order.”
Kocharian strongly denies any wrongdoing. He says that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian is waging a political “vendetta” against him.
Pashinian played a key role in the 2008 protests. Eight protesters and two police servicemen died when they were quelled by security forces.
The obstruction of justice charge leveled against Gevorgian also stems from the 2008 election. Gevorgian was the chief of Kocharian’s staff at the time.
The SIS claims that he pressured a member of Armenia’s Constitutional Court to uphold the official vote results that gave victory to Kocharian’s preferred successor, Serzh Sarkisian. The once powerful official, who also held senior positions in Sarkisian’s government, denies this and other accusations.
The SIS has yet to publicize details of its corruption case against Gevorgian. It has only said that the latter had received a massive bribe.
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