Why is Kocharyan Entering the Hall Through a Restricted Exit?

At the Court of Appeals, presided over by Armen Danielyan, the examination of the complaints from the Prosecutor General's Office and the representatives of the victims' heirs regarding the case of Armenia's second president Robert Kocharyan, Seyran Ohanyan, Yuri Khachaturov, and Armen Gevorgyan is ongoing. Robert Kocharyan is present at the trial.

During the previous session, one of Kocharyan's attorneys, Hayk Alumyān, submitted a motion for the judge's recusal. Today, the defense attorneys for Yuri Khachaturov, Mihran Poghosyan, and Seyran Ohanyan, Karen Mejlumyan, will express their positions regarding the mentioned motion, after which the court will retire to the deliberation room to make a decision on the motion.

Recently, Yerevan's Prosecutor Gevorg Baghdasaryan made a statement regarding Robert Kocharyan entering the courtroom from another entrance. “We have information that for the past two court sessions, Robert Kocharyan has been entering the courtroom through a restricted entrance. I expect clarification from the court, at least from the defense, on what basis and for what considerations this is happening. I believe this does not imply contact with the judge handling the case,” said Baghdasaryan.

Also, one of Robert Kocharyan’s attorneys, Aram Orbelyan, stated, “All presidents of the Republic of Armenia have a special status according to the relevant law, under which they move with the escort of security services, including entering courtrooms through other entrances, unlike the prosecutor who does not have such a status (referring to the Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan, who entered the first instance court through a restricted exit). This issue was raised in the first instance court for that reason. If the Prosecutor's Office believes that this poses a risk of bias on the part of the court, I kindly ask them to join our recusal motion,” said Orbelyan.