Court of Appeals Completes Discussion on Robert Kocharian's Legal Team and Prosecutor's Motion

The Court of Appeals, presided over by Judge Narine Hovakimyan, continued today the court hearing regarding the complaints from the defense and the prosecution concerning the closure of the alleged constitutional order subversion case.

In particular, the court heard the defense's position regarding Prosecutor Gevorg Baghdasaryan's motion to suspend the proceedings and appeal to the Constitutional Court. The defense argued that there were no grounds for suspending the case and appealed for the motion to be rejected.

“After the Constitutional Court’s decision, which effectively decriminalized Article 300.1 of the Criminal Code, the court had an imperative duty to cease the criminal prosecution and to terminate the proceedings,” said Eric Aleksanyan, the lawyer for former Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan.

Aram Orbelyan, the lawyer for former President Robert Kocharian, emphasized that at this stage of examination, until the court has addressed the substantive complaints and knows whether there are issues within them, it is impossible to satisfy the prosecution's current complaint.

After hearing from both sides, the Court of Appeals has retired to the deliberation room to make a decision. The judicial act will be published today at 15:30.

It is worth noting that on April 6, the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction, presided by Anna Danibekyan, acquitted former President Robert Kocharian, former Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan, former Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan, and former Chief of Staff Yuri Khachaturov, based on the Constitutional Court's decision that declared Article 300.1 of the Criminal Code unconstitutional, thereby terminating the criminal prosecution against them due to the absence of a crime.

Robert Kocharian’s legal team had filed a motion requesting a reduction in the bail amount imposed on him or a substitution with another measure not involving deprivation of liberty. The prosecution, in turn, has filed an appeal against the decision of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction. Appeals have also been filed by representatives of two victims.