Social media users debated the fate of Robert Kocharyan.
In the event of a new criminal prosecution, Robert Kocharyan may face charges related to the Karabakh conflict, social media users have suggested.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot", the Prosecutor General's Office previously appealed to the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia with a petition to consent to initiating a criminal case against the country's second president, Robert Kocharyan.
On February 21, 2022, it became known that the Military Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan initiated a criminal case against Robert Kocharyan and placed him on the wanted list. He is accused of "inciting ethnic hatred" and proclaiming the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in 1991.
Commentators demanded that Kocharyan's rights be respected
A post about Robert Kocharyan being barred from flying out of Zvartnots Airport was published on June 15 on the Caucasian Knot* Facebook page, which has approximately 162,000 followers. As of 2:00 PM Moscow time, the post had garnered 574 likes and 379 comments.
A lively discussion ensued among the authors, with participants offering contrasting assessments of the situation – from demands for legal accountability to political support and criticism of the authorities.
Some users expressed support for the former Armenian president and praised his performance. "Robert Kocharyan is a political figure, the supreme commander-in-chief, the leader of the country," noted Nelly Kazaryan.
"He was the best president of Armenia, all the best to him," wrote Svetlana Sarkesjn. "What bad did he do for Armenia? He was the only one who did good, no one else," stated Lidiya Hasratyan.
Another group of users demanded that Kocharyan's rights be respected. "It's illegal, of course, is there really no charge?" asked Diana Davit. "Stop dragging it out: guilty – punish, innocent – release," wrote Nelly Ulikhanova.
"We must either prove guilt or stop the prosecution," emphasized Artur Arzumanyan.
Another group of commentators views Kocharyan as a man who should be punished and answer for past events. "He should be in prison. It's time to answer for his crimes," declared Hrach Barbaryan. "He cannot be forgiven," wrote Rafael Rasulov.
Another group of users stated that Kocharyan could be held accountable outside of Armenia. "He can be extradited and brought to Baku for trial," noted Fariz Yurist. "He is wanted, hand him over to us, we will find a way to deal with him," wrote Cabir Mahmudov.
Kocharyan has been repeatedly persecuted in Armenia
The second president of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, was previously accused in the case of dispersing a rally that killed 10 people. In July 2018, Kocharyan was interrogated, charged, and arrested on charges of overthrowing the constitutional order in connection with the dispersal of protests in Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008. On August 13, the Armenian Court of Appeals released him from custody based on the constitutional provision on immunity for former heads of state. Kocharyan was given a recognizance not to leave.
On September 11, the head of the National Security Service of Armenia, Artur Vanetsyan, announced at a press conference a new criminal case against Kocharyan for money laundering and fraud. According to Vanetsyan, one of the episodes of the case concerns the purchase of the Congress Hotel in Yerevan by the Kocharyan family for $6 million.
In February 2019, Kocharyan was charged with new charges. Now he has been accused of accepting a bribe on an especially large scale. Back in November 2018, businesswoman Silva Hambardzumyan stated that during his presidency, Kocharyan had received a large bribe from her for the sale of a mining company to an Arab investor.
Moreover, Kocharyan had already filed a lawsuit against Hambardzumyan in November 2018, in which he demanded a retraction of allegations of his involvement in accepting a bribe.
In March 2021, the Constitutional Court of Armenia found the charges against Kocharyan and other defendants for overthrowing the government unconstitutional, after which the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction dropped their criminal prosecution. The case against Kocharyan on charges of money laundering, fraud, and accepting a large bribe was dismissed due to the statute of limitations.
The parliamentary elections effectively became a referendum on the future of the current government and Armenia's foreign policy. The "Caucasian Knot" published a report titled "2026 Elections to the National Assembly (Parliament) of Armenia".
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