Despite being released from custody Robert Kocharian will also appeal to Armenia’s highest criminal court in connection with his recent arrest, a lawyer for the embattled former president said on Thursday.
The Court of Appeals on August 13 overturned a district court’s July 27 decision to allow Kocharian’s arrest on charges stemming from the 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan. It said that the Armenian constitution gives him immunity from prosecution.
The Special Investigative Service (SIS), which filed the accusations, condemned the decision as “illegal.” State prosecutors asked the Court of Cassation, Armenia’s highest body of criminal and administrative justice, to invalidate it on Monday.
One of Kocharian’s lawyers, Hayk Alumian, said his client is not fully satisfied with the August 13 ruling and will file an appeal with the Court of Cassation. “Of all our arguments only the one about Mr. Kocharian’s immunity was accepted,” explained Alumian. “But we wanted the Court of Appeals to also address the other grounds [for his release.]”
Kocharian, who ruled Armenia from 1998-2008, stands accused of illegally using the armed forces against opposition supporters who protested against alleged fraud in a disputed presidential election held in February 2008. Eight protesters and two police personnel were killed when security forces broke up those demonstrations on March 1-2, 2018.
The 63-year-old ex-president denies the accusations as politically motivated, saying that Armenia’s current government is waging a “vendetta” against him. He announced his return to active politics on August 16.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, who played a key role in the 2008 protests, strongly defended the SIS probe at a rally held the following day. In a clear reference to Kocharian, Pashinian said: “I want to make clear that no one will avoid responsibility for killing 10 people and staging a coup d’état in Armenia on March 1 [2008] … All murderers will go to prison.”