Friday, July 3, 2020
Prosecutors Appeal Against Kocharian’s Release
July 03, 2020
• Naira Bulghadarian
Armenia -- Former President Robert Kocharian (L) and his lawyer Hayk Alumian
arrive for the latest session of his trial, Yerevan, June 23, 2020.
Prosecutors have formally asked the Court of Cassation to overturn a lower
court’s June 18 decision to release Armenia’s indicted former President Robert
Kocharian from prison on bail.
The Court of Appeals set a record-high bail amount, 2 billion drams ($4.1
million), when it agreed to free him over the prosecutors’ objections.
Kocharian’s lawyers complained about the hefty sum, saying that his family
cannot afford it. Nevertheless, the ex-president walked free on June 21 after
being bailed out by four wealthy Russian businessmen. Three of them, notably
billionaire Samvel Karapetian, are ethnic Armenians.
The prosecutors denounced the ruling, insisting that Kocharian could obstruct
justice and pressure other suspects and witnesses in the case. Arsen
Nikoghosian, the Court of Appeals judge who handed down the ruling, said that
the massive bail will minimize the risk of such obstruction.
The prosecutors dismissed Nikoghosian’s conclusion in their appeal to the Court
of Cassation, Armenia’s highest body of criminal and administrative justice.
Incidentally, Kocharian’s lawyers have also appealed to the court. One of them,
Hayk Alumian, said on Friday that they object to the bail amount and the fact
that Nikoghosian did not rule out the possibility of Kocharian exerting
“unlawful influence” other participants of his ongoing trial.
“We believe that there is no likelihood of obstruction,” Alumian told RFE/RL’s
Armenian service.
Kocharian, his former chief of staff and two retired army generals went on trial
more than a year ago, accused of overthrowing the constitutional order in the
wake of Armenia’s disputed 2008 presidential election which sparked deadly
street clashes in Yerevan.
The ex-president, who ruled the country from 1998-2008, also stands accused of
bribery. He rejects all accusations leveled against him as politically motivated.
Kocharian was released from jail for the third time since being first arrested
in July 2018. His previous release was ordered in May 2019 by a district court
judge who initially presided over the high-profile trial. Kocharian was arrested
again in June 2019.
Ousted Judge Barred From Constitutional Court Building
July 03, 2020
• Gayane Saribekian
Armenia -- Constitutional Court Judge Hrant Nazarian.
One of the three members of Armenia’s Constitutional Court dismissed as a result
of government-backed constitutional changes was denied entry to the court
building in Yerevan on Friday.
Police officers guarding the building did not allow Hrant Nazarian to enter the
building less than two weeks after the Armenian parliament passed the
controversial changes drafted by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s My Step bloc.
In a statement, the Armenian police said Nazarian ceased to be a court justice
when they came into force on June 26.
The amendments to the Armenian constitution extended a 12-year term limit to all
9 members of the Constitutional Court, which has been locked in a standoff with
Pashinian’s government for the past year. They thereby mandate the immediate
dismissal of Nazarian and two other judges, Alvina Gyulumian and Felix Tokhian,
who had taken the bench in the 1990s. They also stipulate that Tovmasian must
quit as court chairman but remain a judge.
In a joint statement issued on June 25, the four justices challenged the
legality of the amendments and said they have no intention to resign. Tovmasian
also said separately that the parliamentary majority’s refusal to send the
amendments to the Constitutional Court for examination before their passage was
unconstitutional.
Pashinian and his political allies have dismissed these objections. They
maintain that the court is not headed by Tovmasian and Nazarian, Gyulumian and
Tokhian are not its members anymore.
The parliament controlled by Pashinian’s bloc is due to appoint three new high
court judges within the next two months.
Nazarian, who has served in the country’s highest court for nearly 25 years,
could not be reached for comment on Friday. He told RFE/RL’s Armenian service
earlier that he and his ousted colleagues are planning to take legal action
against the “violation of our rights.”
Gyulumian has indicated that she will appeal to the European Court of Human
Right (ECHR). She had worked as an ECHR judge from 2003-2014.
Health Minister Defends Armenian Government’s Coronavirus Response
July 03, 2020
• Astghik Bedevian
Armenia -- Health Minister Arsen Torosian gives a press conference, Yerevan,
April 10, 2020.
The Armenian government has done a good job tackling the coronavirus pandemic
and is not solely responsible for the large number of infections in Armenia,
Health Minister Arsen Torosian insisted on Friday.
“My political evaluation is that considering its resources and situation,
Armenia has dealt with this global challenge quite well,” Torosian told
reporters.
“All coronavirus patients in Armenia receive adequate medical care, which has
not been the case in many more developed countries,” he said. “In that sense,
the government efforts are more than appropriate and sensible.
“As for the [infection] numbers -- which unfortunately do not decline but are
registered in gatherings like this, rather than in medical institutions -- they
depend not only on the government’s steps but also on the behavior of all of us.”
“I can also say that we don’t have an explosive situation,” Torosian went on.
“According to all projections, we should have had more than 30,000 cases by now
but actually have only 27,000 cases. So we are managing to contain the spread
[of the disease] to a certain extent and seem to have flattened the curve since
mid-June.”
The Armenian Ministry of Health said earlier in the day that 662 more people
tested positive for the coronavirus in the past 24 hours. The total number of
coronavirus cases registered in the country of about 3 million thus rose to
27,320.
The ministry also reported 10 more deaths caused by COVID-19, bringing Armenia’s
official death toll to 469. According to it, 156 other people infected with the
virus have died primarily because of other, pre-existing diseases.
ARMENIA -- A medical worker drinks water at the yard of the Grigor Lusavorich
Medical Centre in Yerevan, June 9, 2020
The official figures show that Armenia has one of the highest infection rates in
the world. In terms of the number of cases per million people, it is well ahead
of countries like Britain, Italy and France that have been hit very hard by the
pandemic. At the same time, the South Caucasus state still has a much lower
COVID-19 mortality rate.
Opposition leaders and other critics of the Armenian government increasingly
criticize its handling of the coronavirus crisis. They often cite the example of
neighboring Georgia where the health authorities have recorded only 943 cases
and 15 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
The two opposition parties represented in the Armenian parliament initiated on
Thursday the formation of an ad hoc parliamentary commission tasked with
investigating the government’s coronavirus response. With senior deputies from
the ruling My Step bloc criticizing the initiative, it is not clear whether the
parliament’s pro-government majority will agree to such an inquiry.
“I am ready to answer all questions,” Torosian said when asked to comment on the
commission.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian again
indicated his opposition to re-imposing a nationwide lockdown. Pashinian said
the government will continue to put the emphasis on getting more Armenians to
practice social distancing, wear face masks in public and follow other safety
rules, and minimizing the country’s “economic losses.” He admitted that this
strategy has not been a success so far.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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