Category: 2019

A1+: Robert Kocharyan’s legal defenders release footage on March 1, 2008 events

Albert Nalbandian

The indictment is 1,000 pages, and it has nothing to do with Robert Kocharyan. Hovhannes Khudoyan, an attorney of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan, stated this at a press conference.
 
Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan had noted during the court hearing that 120 million drams from non-governmental funds were distributed to soldiers. The second president’s legal defender Aram Orbelyan, however, remarked that according to the Defense Ministry’s report, there is no such thing as a120-million-dram private money.
 
“Later we will see that this money was not distributed in advance for something; it was distributed later, to the military servicemen involved in service during the state of emergency,” attorney Khudoyan added, in turn. “And if that’s presented as a negative phenomenon, let it be commented as to what requirement of the law it runs counter to.”
 
As to Arthur Davtyan’s statement that the soldiers had been brought in advance and taught to disperse demonstrations, as per Orbelyan, if the soldiers had been brought to disperse demonstrations, the police would not have been brought on March 1.
 
During the court hearing on May 16, Robert Kocharyan had stated that, before his well-known press conference, former head of the National Security Service (NSS), Gorik Hakobyan, had told him that the demonstrators were using weapons and there were combat grenades.
 
“He showed me that incident, which is nowhere today; I don’t know where they are,” Kocharyan had said. “Quite interesting stuff as to how a grenade explodes, a police officer dies.”
 
To the question by A1+ as to whether those videos were destroyed or not included in the case, Aram Orbelyan said that they are not in the case, and they assume that those videos are at the NSS.
 
As to why they did not petition to the NSS and not get those videos and did not attach them to the case, Hovhannes Khudoyan stressed: “We are not petitioning to the NSS until the well-known case of wiretapping is solved.”
 
Also, the legal defenders had brought along videos which, according to Hovhannes Khudoyan, were recorded from a tall building in downtown Yerevan. The quality of these videos was not so good, but according to the attorneys, they show that the demonstrators had wooden sticks and various means. And after the straining of the situation, the police troops were using special means.
 
Robert Kocharyan’s lawyers added that they will transmit these videos to the media in the coming days.


Governor Hayk Chobanyan: There will be no unused land in Tavush Province within 2 years

Torgomian Varazdat

From now on, agriculture, tourism, light industry, and education will be the priority sectors of Tavush Province of Armenia. The governor of Tavush, Hayk Chobanyan, told this to reporters today, on the 100th day of his tenure in this capacity.
 
According to Chobanyan, more than 61 investment projects are already being implemented in Tavush.
 
But as per the governor, the absence of sincerity and justice is the two biggest obstructing circumstances in governance.
 
“For years, people have not trusted the authorities,” Chobanyan said. “Now the time has come for sincere, fair, transparent governance. The country should be brought to its feet without dictatorship. And let’s not speak about our ancient civilization, but let’s become the most civilized nation.” 
 
In the provincial governor’s words, they will do everything they can so that there will be no unused land in Tavush within two years. According to Chobanyan, they need to restore and value the work of the agronomists and veterinarians, and to educate the villagers with the training programs.
 
The governor added that Tavush shall become one of Armenia’s tourism gems, and said they will develop both health resort and rehabilitation as well cultural tourism in this province. 
 
Also, Hayk Chobanyan stated that all programs and initiatives will be viewed from a security perspective, and the Tavush border villages shall be protected and resistant. 
 
“We are building a developing, creative, powerful, and dignified Tavush” the governor of this province concluded.


https://a1plus.am/en/article/340263?fbclid=IwAR1N7nvjlDmdYOtCKMpUDRS6BZKrlZXW_zauHu-20DEACbojEA_CURbt1dw

President Sarkissian meets Chair of Nokia Board of Directors

Emil Karabekian

President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian met with Chair of the Nokia Board of Directors Risto Siilasmaa on the sidelines of the 12th annual economic forum in Kazakhstan.

Talking about the drastic changes taking place in the world, the Armenian President said the world is changing rapidly thanks to technologies, also the companies like Nokia. Armen Sarkissian said Armenia is a platform for innovations and startups, and the country’s future is closely linked with the new technologies.

The sides highlighted the role of education considering it as the base of all of this.

Mr. Sarkissian said Armenia has inherited quite a good education system from the Soviet Union and added that in line with this the country is also open to the new one. “We attach great importance to education, science and technologies by encouraging the youth to propose new ideas, study new technologies and create startups”, he said.

In his turn Risto Siilasmaa said they are greatly interested in the development opportunities of the technologies field in Armenia. He said those countries will be successful in the rapidly changing world which prepare a good base for these changes.

The President invited the company executives to visit Armenia to explore and discuss the prospective directions of cooperation

RFE/RL – Kocharian Freed Pending Trial (UPDATED)

Karagyozian Lena
May 18, 2019
  • Naira Bulghadarian
  • Artak Khulian

Armenia – Former President Robert Kocharian waves to supporters during his trial in Yerevan, May 15, 2019.
A court in Yerevan on Saturday ordered Armenia’s former President Robert Kocharian released from prison pending the outcome of his and three other former officials’ trial on coup charges.

Announcing the decision, the judge presiding over the trial, Davit Grigorian, cited written guarantees of Kocharian’s “adequate behavior” which were signed by the current and former presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh during a court hearing on Thursday.

Kocharian, who governed Armenia from 1998-2008, was set free about an hour later, according to his lawyers.

The trial prosecutors said they will appeal against the judge’s decision which sparked jubilant scenes among Kocharian supporters present in the small courtroom. The latter included his two sons.

The younger son, Levon Kocharian, said his father’s release from custody was “somewhat expected” for him. “The process is not over,” he told reporters. “The main parts are still to come.”

Armenia — Riot police separate supporters and opponents of former President Robert Kocharian demosntrating outside a court building in Yerevan, .

Hundreds of other backers and critics of the 64-year-old ex-president demonstrated, meanwhile, outside the court building in the city’s Nor Nork district. Riot police deployed additional forces there to keep the two rival groups apart.

The first four preliminary sessions of the closely watched trial, which began on May 13, focused Kocharian’s and his lawyers’ demands for his release from custody. The prosecution led by Armenia’s Prosecutor-General Artur Davtian objected to them, saying that the defendant could obstruct justice and even flee the country if freed.

Kocharian dismissed the objections, arguing that he flew back from Europe shortly after being summoned for interrogation in June last year.

Kocharian was first arrested and charged in July with overthrowing the constitutional order in the wake of a disputed presidential election held in February 2008, two months before he served out his second and final presidential term.

The Special Investigative Service (SIS) says that he illegally used Armenian army units against supporters of his predecessor and main opposition candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian, who protested against alleged electoral fraud. Kocharian denies the accusation as politically motivated.

Armenia — Critics of former President Robert Kocharian protest outside a court building in Yerevan, .

Eight protesters and two police officers were killed in street clashes that broke out in central Yerevan late on March 1, 2008. Citing the deadly violence, Kocharian declared a state of emergency and ordered army units into the capital on that night. Nobody has been prosecuted in connection with those deaths.

The same coup charges were also leveled against Kocharian’s former chief of staff Armen Gevorgian and two retired top army generals, Seyran Ohanian and Yuri Khachaturov. The three men, who have not been held in pre-trial detention, deny them.

Earlier this year, Kocharian and Gevorgian were also charged with bribe-taking. They reject this accusation as well.

On Friday, Kocharian’s lawyers showed journalists footage of the 2008 clashes which they said exonerates their client. The Office of the Prosecutor-General responded by accusing of them of resorting to “manipulations” and putting “psychological pressure” on Judge Grigorian.

In a statement, the prosecutors also warned that they could take unspecified measures to stop the “spread of these lies generated with the help of certain media outlets and real or fake social media users.”

One of the defense lawyers, Hayk Alumian, countered on Saturday that the authorities and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in particular themselves have been pressuring courts dealing with the high-profile case. In particular, Alumian said that earlier in the day a parliament deputy close to Pashinian, Hayk Sargsian, urged government supporters to rally outside the court and press the judge to keep Kocharian behind bars.

Armenia — Supporters of former President Robert Kocharian demonstrate outside a court building in Yerevan, .

Pashinian’s press secretary, Vladimir Karapetian, dismissed those claims shortly after Kocharian’s release. He said the court order showed that the Armenian judiciary enjoys “complete freedom” thanks to last year’s “velvet revolution” which brought Pashinian to power.

In a Facebook post, Karapetian also signaled Pashinian’s disapproval of that order. He said that “the old judicial system” continues to function in Armenia and to be mistrusted by the public.

Kocharian was already freed from custody in August. The Court of Appeals ruled at the time that Armenia’s constitution gives him immunity from prosecution on charges stemming from the dramatic events of February-March 2008.

Acting on prosecutors’ appeal, the higher Court of Cassation overturned that ruling in November, ordering the Court of Appeals to examine the case anew. The latter allowed law-enforcement authorities to press charges against Kocharian and again arrest him in December.


    https://www.azatutyun.am/a/29949660.html?fbclid=IwAR39vu_MtItNQSskFEPKMISvffzM4vIlAnevltOryI4N2AcFsu1OTu8-dMg

    Lilit Makunts: There is no confrontation between representatives of Armenia and Artsakh

    Emil Lazarian
    Arminfo, Armenia
    Ani Mshetsyan

    ArmInfo.  There is no confrontation  between the representatives of Armenia and Artsakh, and there can be  no confrontation. On May 17, Lilit Makunts, the head of the “My Step”  faction, told reporters, answering the question of how she estimates  that former and current Artsakh presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako  Sahakyan made a motion to change the measure of restraint in court  regarding the second president of Armenia under their personal  guarantee.

    She noted that the process is now on an emotional plane, but there is  no opposition between the representatives of the two Armenian  republics. “We all must realize that the unity we have is a guarantee  of security for the two republics and the nation as a whole,”  concluded Makunts.

    To note, recently the representatives of the authorities of Armenia  and Artsakh exchanged “non-diplomatic” statements in connection with  contradictory positions on the issue of criminal prosecution of the  first NKR President and the second President of the Republic of  Armenia Robert Kocharyan, accused of overthrowing the constitutional  order. 

    Political technologist: turning Tsarukyan into a political martyr is not in the interests of Pashinyan

    Kalantarian Kevo
    Arminfo, Armenia
    David Stepanyan

    ArmInfo.The transformation of the  leader of “Prosperous Armenia” Gagik Tsarukyan into a political  martyr clearly does not proceed from the interests of Prime Minister  Nikol Pashinyan. ArmInfo political strategist Armen Badalyan  expressed this opinion.  

    “In this light, I don’t expect any special  pressure on the party and Mr. Tsarukyan personally. If Tsarukyan  really violated the Constitution, then, of course, he should be  deprived of his deputy’s mandate. step “.  Over the past year, it has  finally become clear that the repressive methods clearly do not fit  into the political arsenal of Pashinyan and his immediate  environment. Moreover, there is no reason to waste our high rating in  the now unnecessary fight against” Prosperous Armenia “has no  Pashinyan,” the political consultant is convinced.

    The question of the presence of business in the National Assembly of  Armenia has once again become the focus of public attention through  the efforts of the party “Citizen Decision”. On April 29, Secretary  of the party’s executive body Suren Sahakyan sent a statement to  Armenian Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan about the need to initiate  criminal proceedings against Prosperous Armenia Party leader, MP  Gagik Tsarukyan. The reason for the statement was the suspicion of  illegal entrepreneurial activity by the deputy Tsarukyan. Sahakyan  also sent a statement to RA NA President Ararat Mirzoyan with a  request to take appropriate actions in pursuance of Art. 157 of the  law , in particular, to appeal  to the Constitutional Court of Armenia on the issue of termination of  powers of a deputy in case of violation of the requirements of  Article 95 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.

    According to Badalyan, representatives of the Decision of the Citizen  party, who did not go to parliament in the last elections, thus  simply decided to loudly declare themselves. Having started up in the  media and the public agenda the idea of bringing Tsarukyan to  responsibility and depriving him of his deputy’s mandate, they are  trying to attract public attention. However, the authorities rummage  in the past Tsarukyan and his party, according to the forecasts of  the political consultant, will not. Today, they simply do not need  it, especially since any pressure will only enhance the image of  Tsarukyan. 

    Sports: Tigran Kirakosyan wins gold at the European Sambo Championship

    Ani Basmajian
    Panorama, Armenia

    Sport 12:19 18/05/2019 Armenia

    Armenian athlete Tigran Kirakosyan was named champion at the European Sambo championship
    in Spanish Gijon on May 17, the Armenian National Olympic Committee reported.

    In the final the Armenian athlete competing in the 52kg weight category won Evgeni Yeromin of Russian by 2:1. Earlier, Rafik Manukyan competing in the 68kg weight category and Poghos Badalyan competing in the 52kg weight category won bronze medals.

    To note, the Armenian team headed by president of the Sambo Federation of Armenia Mikael Hayrapetyan is represented by 19 athletes at the tournament.

    Chess: Aronian loses at the opening game of the FIDE Grand Prix

    Garnik Tadevosian
    Panorama, Armenia
    Sport 11:18 18/05/2019 Armenia

    Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian lost the game to Yan Nepomniachtchi at the opening game of the first leg of the 2019 FIDE Grand Prix series opened on Thursday in Moscow. The game ended on the 72nd move with Aronian playing with black.

    The second game between the two will take place on May 18. The Moscow Grand Prix is a knock-out (or single-elimination) event. It’s a format where the loser of each match is immediately eliminated from the tournament, and the winner will play another winner in the next round, until the final match, whose hero becomes the Grand Prix Champion.

    The 2019 FIDE Grand Prix series consists of four tournaments, with 16 players each. A total of 22 players will compete, and the top two finishers in the overall standings will qualify for the 2020 Candidates’ Tournament. The winner of that tournament will be the new challenger of Magnus Carlsen in a title match scheduled for November 2020.

    MP from the ruling party urges citizens to exert pressure on Judge over ex-President Kocharyan’s case

    Markos Nalchajian
    Panorama, Armenia
    Politics 12:23 18/05/2019 Armenia

    Member of the ruling My Step fraction at the Armenian National Assembly Hayk Sargsyan has called on citizens to exert pressure on the judge ahead of issuing the court decision on the measure of ex-President Robert Kocharyan’s pre-trial detention.

    Sargsyan took to Facebook to call on all citizens to gather in front of the court building today at 13:00 when the court is expected to issue the decision.

    To note, the post was later removed from Facebook, however the users keep disseminating the screenshot of the note on social media.

    At a court hearing on Thursday Artsakh current and former Presidents presented personal guarantees to a the court requesting the release of Robert Kocharyan from pre-trial detention.

    Earlier in January, the Yerevan court declined the defense motion to release Kocharyan on bail and instead approved the prosecutor’s motion to extend arrest imposed on him as a pre-trial measure of restraint. Robert Kocharyan has been placed in custody since December 7, 2018, pending trial. He is charged with overthrowing Armenia’s constitutional order during the March 1-2, 2008 post-election events in Yerevan, but strongly denies any wrongdoing

    Kocharyan’s lawyer issues message to PM

    Anna Tamamian
    Panorama, Armenia
    Politics 15:00 18/05/2019 Armenia

    The member of the ex-President Robert Kocharyan’s defense team Hayk Alumyan has issued a message to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President Armen Sarkissian,  Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan and Police Chief Valery Osipyan. At a press conference on Saturday  Alumyan announced that public calls of Pashinyan’s supporters, including the members of his political team over Kocharyan’s case are to be strictly condemned and intercepted.

    “Mr. Prime Minister, we all know that these people will not make similar statements, if there were no approve by you . Honorary Prime Minister, I call on you to prevent these developments and disallow actions and calls made by your supporters on your behalf and approval the one did Hayk Sargsyan,” Alumyan said.

    To remind, earlier the member of the ruling My Step fraction at the Armenian National Assembly Hayk Sargsyan called on citizens to exert pressure on the judge ahead of issuing the court decision on the measure of ex-President Robert Kocharyan’s pre-trial detention.