Lawyer reiterates Kocharyan should be released

Under the European Convention on Human Rights, in 100% of cases bail must be imposed instead of arrest on a defendant as a measure of restraint if the court or the law enforcement body carrying out the investigation fail to prove that it cannot be granted, a lawyer of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan told a news conference on Friday.

Aram Orbelyan’s remarks came after the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction upheld the former president’s arrest on Thursday denying his lawyers’ motion to release him on bail.

The attorney drew reporters’ attention to the fact that bail should be granted to all defendants unless substantial grounds for rejecting it are present.

He stressed the defense team has presented several examples when officials accused of similar or much more serious crimes who are more likely to obstruct justice have been set free on bail.

“Moreover, they continue to hold their positions even if suspended,” he said.

They attorney defended their release stressing they do not claim that those defendants should be arrested, but they demand that court lift Kocharyan’s arrest.