YEREVAN, JULY 30, ARMENPRESS. Arthur Tovmasyan, head of the Fatherland (Hayrenik) faction of the Artsakh parliament, has said he is convinced that the investigation and judicial proceedings over former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan will proceed in compliance with the Constitution and the spirit and letter of the legislation, and that everything will be revealed with time.
Speaking to ARTSAKHPRESS, the lawmaker mentioned that he was saddened to hear about Kocharyan’s arrest.
“I have worked with Robert Kocharyan when he served as President of Artsakh and I was the Speaker of Parliament. Our joint work was difficult, but productive,” Tovmasyan said.
Most of the Free Fatherland (Azat Hayrenik) party’s members said they are convinced that the judicial process will proceed within the legal arena, not political, noting that they trust the current justice system of Armenia.
“We believe that only this way it is possible to combat crime. And as far as Robert Kocharyan’s accusations are concerned, we cannot assess the credibility and fairness of it, it is the exclusive function of the court, however we expect that the entire process will process maximally transparent and professionally, in order for justice and wide public trust for the process not to be affected,” he said.
Former President Robert Kocharyan, currently under arrest, is charged with breaching constitutional order during the final days of his presidency in 2008, in what is known as March 1 – the deadly protests which claimed the lives of two police officers and eight demonstrators.
CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov, the Armenian general who served as deputy defense minister in 2008, is also charged with the same article.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan