Some people who supported Kocharyan lost their jobs, son claims

Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan is getting better day by day after undergoing a surgery at the Izmirlian Medical Center in Yerevan, his son Levon told reporters ahead of a court hearing in the ex-president’s trial om Tuesday.

He said Kocharyan will be able to attend the court hearing and expressed hope no problems will arise.

Asked to reveal the medical condition his father suffered from, Levon said he had a small benign tumor which needed to be removed.

Commenting on the trial, Levon Kocharyan said it is under ‘strong pressure’ from the authorities.

When asked why he is the only member of the Kocharyan family to attend the court hearings, Levon said it is his decision, adding the family doesn’t find it appropriate to participate in the hearings as a whole.

As for the petition launched in the regions in support of Kocharyan, he said his father does have numerous supporters and he occasionally receives many letters from various regions.

“There are supporters, but there is also an atmosphere of fear which is gradually diminishing. We must do everything possible to break the atmosphere of fear. They fear attacks on social media, there are also cases when people lost their jobs in state structures after expressing support [for Kocharyan],” he stressed.