Arrest Ordered for Former President Robert Kocharyan

By Sareen Habeshian The Court of Appeals of Armenia ordered the arrest of former President Robert Kocharyan on December 7. Kocharyan was charged on July 26 with overthrowing the constitutional order during the 2008 post-election period. Kocharyan was not present in the courtroom when Judge Ruben Mkhitaryan announced the decision. Victor Soghomonyan, Kocharyan's spokesperson, read a statement from Kocharyan at a press conference following the court’s verdict. “Obviously, this verdict is, first of all, the result of a political decision and has been made under harsh pressure by the authorities,” Kocharyan said in the statement. Kocharyan alleged that the judge ruling on the case was elected through gross violations of the law and relevant regulations. “My team and I have repeatedly stated that what is happening is nothing more than a settling of personal scores, a true vendetta that is being carried out against me and my family,” Kocharyan wrote. “The path I’ve crossed, , the results achieved during my years of governance, my reputation in Armenia, Artsakh and abroad, as well as my political prospects offer no relief to today's populist and incompetent leader of the country.” Kocharyan affirmed his innocence and wrote that he will achieve freedom “sooner or later.” It is unclear when the former president will actually be taken into custody. On August 13, the Court of Appeals ruled that Kocharyan could not be prosecuted due to presidential immunity and so he was released from custody. Article 140 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia states, "The President of the Republic may not be prosecuted and subjected to liability arising out of his / her status during and after his term of office." On August 20, the office of the Prosecutor General of Armenia filed a complaint with the Court of Appeals, protesting its decision not to detain Kocharyan. On November 15, Armenia’s Court of Cassation, the highest court in the country, overrode the Criminal Court of Appeals decision to release Kocharyan from custody.