04 July 2018, 15:30
In Armenia, Robert Kocharyan summoned for questioning
In a case on the events of March 1, 2008, investigators intend to question former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan as a witness.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 3, investigators instituted a criminal case on the violent overthrow of the constitutional order in connection with the events in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008. Colonel General Mikael Arutyunyan, who in March 2008 occupied the position of the Defence Minister, and other top-ranking officials were accused of violating the Constitution and using armed forces against protestors. On July 3, the court issued a warrant for the arrest of Mikael Arutyunyan.
On March 1-2, 2008, in Yerevan, the mass riots and street clashes began after the dispersal of a rally organized by the opposition, which was not satisfied with the results of the presidential election, won by Serzh Sargsyan. As a result of clashes with the police, ten people were killed and more than 250 were injured then.
Today, at a briefing, Sasoun Khachatryan, the chair of the Special Investigating Service (SIS), has reported that the former President of Armenia is summoned for questioning as a witness in the case of killings during the protests of March 1, 2008.
"I do not know if he got our notification, but we sent it. Robert Kocharyan was summoned for questioning as a witness," reported the SIS chair as quoted by the TASS.
Robert Kocharyan has not yet received the notification to appear for questioning, said Victor Sogomonyan, the chief of the second Armenian president's office.
He has suggested that the notification was sent by mail. Robert Kocharyan himself is on vacation now, and he spends it outside of Armenia, the "Sputnik-Armenia" reports with reference to Victor Sogomonyan.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 4, 2018 at 11:25 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
