Former Armenian President Robert Kocharian, who leads the country’s largest opposition party, criticized his latest trial, calling it “legal hooliganism” during a public statement on Friday. The trial, which began at the end of September, follows his acquittal over three years ago.
Kocharian, along with his former chief of staff Armen Gevorgian and two retired army generals, is facing charges once again related to the violent aftermath of Armenia’s 2008 presidential election. In April 2021, Armenia’s Constitutional Court ruled that the initial charge of “overthrowing the constitutional order” was unconstitutional, leading to their acquittal. The group has consistently denied the accusations, viewing them as politically motivated.
Despite their acquittal, prosecutors appealed, pushing for a new case linked to the same 2008 events, during which clashes left eight protesters and two police officers dead. Last month, the Court of Cassation allowed the case to move forward, opening the door for a fresh trial.
Speaking to the press after attending the second hearing, Kocharian expressed frustration with the renewed legal action, stating, “For over a year and a half, I was held in prison on a baseless charge, yet no state body or prosecutor has offered me an apology.” He further argued, “Through manipulation, they are reviving the case with ulterior motives. This is nothing short of legal hooliganism.”
It remains unclear what specific charges Kocharian, Gevorgian, former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian, and former army chief Yury Khachaturov now face, as prosecutors have not formally announced any new accusations. However, both the judge and trial prosecutor referred to them as “defendants” during the proceedings.
At the beginning of the hearing, Kocharian refused to acknowledge the status of an accused individual, declaring, “I am here out of goodwill, not because I am accused,” before leaving the defendant’s bench with his legal team.
While Kocharian was cleared of the coup charges in 2022, both he and Gevorgian continued to face a separate corruption case. That trial concluded last December without a verdict, as the statute of limitations expired in May 2023.
In a related development, Anna Danibekian, the judge who presided over the corruption trial, was removed from her position in July. The government, along with Armenia’s judicial oversight body led by an ally of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, accused her of allowing Kocharian to intentionally delay the court proceedings.
Pashinyan, who played a central role in the 2008 protests, spent nearly two years in prison after being accused of plotting to overthrow the former government during the unrest.
