Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 30 2018


Robert Kocharian: it's not just a criminal case, it's a political vendetta

Yerevan August 29

Naira Badalian. Former President Robert Kocharian returned to Armenia
in the hope that "the judicial and legal system is not completely
jammed under the executive power." He stated this in an exclusive
interview with NTV regarding the reasons for his return to Armenia.

"I came back, I was in Greece, I came back, completely realizing that
I could be arrested, it's obvious that people, let's say, my type, do
not run away from difficulties." Still, there was some hope that the
judicial and legal system is not completely jammed under the executive
power, and although some degree of independence of the courts still
exists, I came to fight for my honor and dignity, "Kocharian said.

According to him, the case against him is "sewn with white threads".
"Immunity is just a small part of the defense line. I came back here
to defend my dignity and honor, not only because I have immunity, but
also because the entire criminal case is sewn with white threads.
There is no criminal case at all, "- said the 2 nd president. At the
same time, he noted that this statement is based on the fact that he
is familiar with the criminal case, but because of the secrecy of the
investigation cannot now talk about its details.

"I am charged with overthrowing the constitutional order. Can you
imagine? The president, as the guarantor of the constitution,
occupying this post, it turns out, overthrew himself: They tried to
find some formula of the indictment in priests. This suggests that it
is not just a criminal case, it's a political vendetta: Why did I
suddenly become a target after 10 years of quiet life outside the
presidential seat and out of power in general? 10 years ago there were
elections, and I had only a month or two before the end of my second
term, and there were elections that ended with the first round, and
Serzh Sargsyan was elected president, with 53% of the vote, followed
by the first president of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, with 21% of
the vote. declared himself elected President, in all respects of the
declared that he scored about 65% of the vote and started permanent
protests in central Yerevan. The rallies were not sanctioned, and the
slogans at the rallies were as follows: "We must dismantle the state
power."

Further, appeals were made to the army, to the security forces, an
attempt to involve them in the process was evident for 7 days. During
this time, the CEC recognized the results of the elections as
legitimate, the Constitutional Court further upheld the decision of
the CEC, the conclusion of all major international observers was
positive, including observers from the OSCE, the Council of Europe.
The whole electoral cycle was completed successfully enough, but the
whole thing ended in a skirmish between the demonstrators and the
police, and as a result, 10 people were killed, two of them policemen.
Ten years later, those who organized these mass riots came to power
who were convicted of organizing mass riots. So I'm talking about a
political vendetta. That is, ten years later those who lost those
elections came to power. And today all their thoughts are occupied
with how to pay off with people whom they consider enemies ", -
Kocharyan.

Thus, according to Kocharyan, there are no grounds for instituting a
criminal case: "I was president, I do not understand how I could
overthrow the constitutional system, being the president who needs to
leave in a month."

To recall, second Armenian President Robert Kocharian was imprisoned
on July 28. The ex-president was charged under part 1 of Article 300.1
of the RA Criminal Code - overthrowing the constitutional order of the
Republic of Armenia by preliminary collusion with other persons, which
provides for deprivation of liberty from ten to fifteen years in the
criminal case on dispersal of protest actions on March 1-2, 2008 .