Kocharyan trial: Yerevan appellate court denies motion for judge’s recusal

The Yerevan Criminal Court of Appeals turned down on Wednesday a motion of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan’s lawyers to recuse judge Lusine Abgaryan.

“I decided to deny the motion for the recusal of the judge,” Abgaryan announced at a court hearing on Wednesday.

The petition had been filed by ex-president’s lawyer Aram Vardevanyan during the previous hearing.

The court is hearing the appeal against the ruling of a first instance court on not releasing Kocharyan on bail.

The defense team appealed the November 7 ruling of judge Anna Danibekyan who had denied a  motion to free Kocharyan on bail.