Arman Hovhannisyan, Erik Karapetyan, Avet Barseghyan, and several celebrities demand the release of Kocharyan

Today, about 60 Armenian artists and cultural figures from Armenia and Russia have issued a joint statement calling for the release of the first President of the Republic of Artsakh and the second President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, and for a change in his detention measures.

The 'Committee for the Freedom of President Kocharyan' Facebook page presents the full text of the statement:

Statement of Armenian Cultural and Artistic Figures

We do not pass judgments. We do not delve into legal nuances. We do not take the position of a judge. Each of us is doing our job in our own sphere. We are not a party to the trial. But we are citizens, and we are concerned about the moral and psychological atmosphere in our country: a climate of malice, hatred, and enmity that is anti-cultural. We find it incomprehensible to prioritize keeping President Kocharyan in prison during the court proceedings. We have not heard any justification that, if he were free, he would evade justice. On the contrary, we are convinced otherwise.

We appreciate Robert Kocharyan’s contribution to the establishment of Armenian states. Many of us know him personally. We cannot remain indifferent to what is happening. We believe that the current status of the president is unnatural and does not contribute to the credibility of the state or to the healing of the public atmosphere.

We propose establishing solidarity and taking steps towards the future. We propose changing the detention measures for President Robert Kocharyan.

Among the signatories are notable figures such as:

• Arthur Grigoryan, People's Artist of Armenia, composer
• Armen Martirosyan, Honored Artist of Armenia, composer, musician, producer
• Artashes Shahbazyan, writer
• Alla Levonyan, Honored Artist of Armenia, singer
• Ani Hakobyan, theater expert
• Ashot Gevorgyan, actor, director
• Avet Barseghyan, Honored Artist of Armenia, presenter, poet
• Avo Khalatyan, Honored Artist of Armenia, singer, presenter
• Arame, Honored Artist of Armenia, singer
• Arman Hovhannisyan, Honored Artist of Armenia, singer
• Armenka, singer
• Arsen Grigoryan, singer, actor
• Ashugh Voskhehur, Anush Mazmanyan, choreographer
• Gaya Arzumanyan, singer
• Gayane Hovhannisyan, Honored Artist of Armenia, singer
• Gegham Manukyan, Director of 'Yerkir Media' news and social-political programs
• Gohar Gasparyan, television presenter
• Guzh Manukyan, People's Artist of the Armenian SSR
• Grisha Ohanyan, sound director
• Erik Karapetyan, singer
• Lira Kocharyan, producer, founder of 'Voices of Artsakh'
• Luiza Ghambaryan, Honored Artist of Armenia
• Karen Gevorgyan, Honored Artist of Armenia, president of the Armenian National Dance Art and Choreographers Union
• Karen Hambardzumyan, 'Karen Sevak' production
• Kristina Avagimyan, choreographer
• Hayko, Honored Artist of Armenia, songwriter, singer
• Harutyun Harutyunyan, writer
• Hmayak Rostomyan, sound director
• Hovhannes Nersesyan, opera singer and deacon; winner of the Armenian President's award in 2013
• Hrach Keshishyan, Honored Artist of Armenia, director, producer
• Mano Grigoryan, actress, dancer
• Mushkh Mailyan, arranger
• Norayr Amalayan, musician, arranger
• Nune Yesayan, Honored Artist of Armenia, singer
• Razmik Amyan, Honored Artist of Armenia, singer
• Razmik Davoyan, poet
• Robert Margaryan, musician
• Samvel Grigoryan, singer, presenter
• Sargis Grigoryan, actor, presenter
• Sergey Grigoryan, actor
• Susan Margaryan, Honored Artist of Armenia, singer
• Spartak Karabakhchyan, journalist, historian, publicist, screenwriter
• Sevak Melkonyan, 'Karen Sevak' production
• Vazgen Asatryan, Honored Artist of Armenia
• Vahe Begoyan, singer, conductor
• Vache Hoveyan, violist, international competition laureate
• Vardan Ajemyan, Honored Artist of Armenia, composer
• Varduhi Aleksanyan, choreographer, television presenter
• Varsham Gevorgyan, actor

Also signing the statement are the following Armenian figures residing in Russia:

• Alexander Akopov – President of the Association of Film and Television Producers of Russia
• Roman Babayan – television presenter (НТВ), Moscow City Duma deputy
• Tina Kandelaki – television presenter, General Director of 'match TV'
• Tigran Keosayan – film director, actor, television presenter
• Stas Namin – musician, composer and producer, artist, film and theater director
• Margarita Simonyan – Editor-in-Chief of 'Russia Today'
• Sati Spivakova – actress, television presenter, writer
• Dmitri Kharatyan – actor, People's Artist of Russia
• Karen Shakhnazarov – film director, President and General Director of 'Mosfilm'