YEREVAN—Armenia’s Special Investigative Service on Tuesday announced that it has prohibited Armenia’s former president Robert Kocharian from leaving the country while the investigation into charges that he breached Armenia’s constitutional order continues.
Marina Ohanjanyan, a SIS spokesperson, told Azatutyun.am on Tuesday that investigators have decided to apply a measure of restraint called “a written undertaking not to leave the country” in relation to Kocharian, whose charges stem from the 2008 post-election protests during which eight civilians and two police officers were killed during a standoff with law enforcement.
On July 27, a criminal court decided to remand Kocharian, who was charged a day earlier. On August 13, an appellate court overturned the lower court’s decision setting Kocharian free, citing a constitutional provision, which provides immunity to a former president from prosecution. Kocharian has appealed the entire ruling, saying that there are no basis for the charges, calling them a “political vendetta.”
In an interview with Yerkir Media on August 16, Kocharian announced his return to politics, saying that the current regime does not have the political maturity or experience to run the country.
One of Kocharian’s attorneys, Aram Orbelyan, told Azatutyun.am on Monday that Kocharian plans to travel to Germany for his annual medical exam, saying “there is no measure of restraint against Kocharian, but the ex-president’s passport is kept by the law-enforcement bodies.”
An announcement by Kocharian’s legal team about the SIS decision is expected on Wednesday.
Guess Lavrov had to give some semblance of independence to the judiciary before dropping the other shoe.
is this a new governing method having selfies and putting people in jail
High class. Low class thiefs that’s the mentality we HAVE to get rid
The arrest and prosecution of criminals is not called a vendetta, it is called judicial process. In this case, and soon to follow with others (i.e. Serj Sarkissian) all criminals and destroyers of Armenia hopefully will end up behind bars for the rest of their miserable lives.
No Vahe this is what cleaning out crap looks like. Have a nice day and try to do be happy.