President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan and ex-president Arkady Ghukasyan will most likely make an appearance in a Yerevan court today at 16:00, ex-President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan’s lawyer Hayk Alumyan told reporters.
Yerevan court expected to see 2 ex-presidents and 1 incumbent president all at once
The March 1 case refers to the 2008 post-presidential election unrest in Yerevan when eight protesters and two security officers were killed in clashes during large demonstrations against alleged vote rigging. Kocharyan was the outgoing president at that time. He is accused of unlawfully ordering the military to interfere and disperse the protests.
Robert Kocharyan is charged with “overthrowing Constitutional order” and “accepting particularly large bribe”.
Other indicted officials are: ex-Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan (overthrowing Constitutional order). In 2008 Ohanyan served as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces; Yuri Khachaturov (overthrowing Constitutional order). In 2008, Khachaturov was the Deputy Minister of Defense; Armen Gevorgyan (conspiracy to overthrow Constitutional order, accepting particularly large bribe and money laundering). Gevorgyan served as Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration. Gevorgyan’s most recent government position was Deputy Prime Minister.
Yuri Khachaturov is an Armenian general who served as Secretary General of the CSTO until being recalled by Armenia for criminal proceedings in 2018.
They all deny wrongdoing.