Kocharyan’s lawyers requested the court to allow Artsakh former and current presidents to attend the hearing on Friday

One of the members of the Armenian ex-President Robert Kocharyan defense team Hovhannes Khudoyan submitted a request to the court over inviting Artsakh former and current presidents to the hearing of the ex-president trial. The court under the presiding judge Davit Grigoryan is hearing a motion to release Kocharyan from pre-trial custody for which Artsakh President Bako  Sahakyan and second President Arkady Ghukasyan earlier sent a letter providing a public guarantee necessary for Kocharyan’s release from custody. 

 

“Considering the fact that Bako Sahakyan is the current head of the Artsakh Republic and has a busy schedule, we request the judge to invite him to the court hearing on Friday 17 May,” Khudoyan said, asking also to consider the possibility of the president’s participation in the hearing from a distance. 

 

Judge Davit Grigoryan noted that the court has the opportunity to inform the guarantors about the duties and responsibilities set by the RA Criminal Code only in person.  The judge next noted that May 17 is followed by non-working days and since the court should make a decision about the pre-trial detention of the ex-president which requires 1-2 days, ask the presidents to attend the court tomorrow on May 17.

 

The hearing continues as of 17:00 Yerevan time around discussions to hold a court hearing on Saturday and the possibility to communicate with the presidents the duties and responsibilities for acting as guarantors in written form.