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    Categories: 2020

Ex-president Kocharyan’s prosecution should be suspended due to violation of his presumption of innocence – lawyer

Panorama, Armenia
Feb 29 2020

The criminal proceedings against Armenia’s former president Robert Kocharyan should be suspended, since the president’s presumption of innocence has been violated, one of the members of the former president’s defense team Aram Orbelian stated on Saturday. The lawyer’s remarks came at a conference entitled “The March 1 case in post-revolutionary Armenia”.

“Article 140 of the Armenian constitution clearly states that during the term of his powers and thereafter, the president of the republic may not be prosecuted and subjected to liability for actions deriving from his or her status. Note, no reasonable person on the planet may state that signing of the decree on declaration of state of emergency cannot be considered an action deriving from the president’s status. This the classic case when the immunity from prosecution is guaranteed by the constitution,” Orbelian added.

He next recalled number of ECHR rulings on suspension of court hearings due to grave violations of the criminal proceedings. “The case may not have a fair verdict as it has proceeded with violation of Kocharyan’s presumption of innocence. That violation has been confirmed by a court ruling, appealed at the Court of Appeals and remained unchanged,” Orbelian said.

Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS