Restrictions on Robert Kocharyan's Pension Lifted Thanks to Our Intervention: Tatoyan

Arman Tatoyan, the Human Rights Defender, stated during a press conference in the National Assembly that issues regarding the conditions of the second President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, including restrictions on his property and pension, as well as family visitations, were expressed in a report.

He pointed out that the case has already been sent to court, and at this stage, the powers of the Human Rights Defender have significantly diminished. “I must specifically mention what is presented in the report, that while refraining from making assessments on the ongoing case, I believe there is a clear need for a component of public trust, and the state bears a much greater burden in these matters by ensuring the rule of law. I also highlighted the importance of a high degree of public accountability so that the issue of public trust is realized,” he said.

The Human Rights Defender mentioned that due to their joint efforts, several issues have been resolved, particularly concerning electronic means and family visitation. “There had been a restriction on the pension, which has been removed thanks to our intervention,” he noted.

Speaking about Kocharyan's conditions of detention, Tatoyan stated that Kocharyan has never expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment from prison staff. He mentioned that he had visited Kocharyan's cell once, though he had conducted several other visits.

“It is an ordinary cell without any special conditions,” he said.

In response to a question about whether Robert Kocharyan benefits from prison food, Arman Tatoyan indicated that he does not recall any complaints regarding this matter.

Regarding whether there has been a violation of the presumption of innocence concerning Kocharyan, the defender noted that he issued a statement in June acknowledging that issues are being recorded related to the presumption of innocence. “I had stated that public officials, especially those responsible for combating crime, should be cautious in their statements as they could potentially harm the ongoing case. I want to raise this issue again and ask everyone to adhere to the principle of the presumption of innocence; this is of critical importance, especially for resolving the problems put forward by the state,” he stated.