Robert Kocharian: it`s not just a criminal case, it`s a political vendetta

ArmInfo. Former President Robert  Kocharian returned to Armenia in the hope that "the judicial and  legal system is not completely jammed under the executive power." He  stated this in an exclusive interview with NTV regarding the reasons  for his return to Armenia.

"I came back, I was in Greece, I came back, completely realizing that  I could be arrested, it's obvious that people, let's say, my type, do  not run away from difficulties." Still, there was some hope that the  judicial and legal system is not completely jammed under the  executive power, and although some degree of independence of the  courts still exists, I came to fight for my honor and dignity,  "Kocharian said.

According to him, the case against him is "sewn with white threads".  <Immunity is just a small part of the defense line. I came back here  to defend my dignity and honor, not only because I have immunity, but  also because the entire criminal case is sewn with white threads.  There is no criminal case at all, "- said the 2 nd president. At the  same time, he noted that this statement is based on the fact that he  is familiar with the criminal case, but because of the secrecy of the  investigation cannot now talk about its details.

"I am charged with overthrowing the constitutional order. Can you  imagine? The president, as the guarantor of the constitution,  occupying this post, it turns out, overthrew himself: They tried to  find some formula of the indictment in priests. This suggests that it  is not just a criminal case, it's a political vendetta: Why did I  suddenly become a target after 10 years of quiet life outside the  presidential seat and out of power in general? 10 years ago there  were elections, and I had only a month or two before the end of my  second term, and there were elections that ended with the first  round, and Serzh Sargsyan was elected president, with 53% of the  vote, followed by the first president of Armenia, Levon  Ter-Petrosyan, with 21% of the vote. declared himself elected  President, in all respects of the declared that he scored about 65%  of the vote and started permanent protests in central Yerevan. The  rallies were not sanctioned, and the slogans at the rallies were as  follows: "We must dismantle the state power."

Further, appeals were made to the army, to the security forces, an  attempt to involve them in the process was evident for 7 days. During  this time, the CEC recognized the results of the elections as  legitimate, the Constitutional Court further upheld the decision of  the CEC, the conclusion of all major international observers was  positive, including observers from the OSCE, the Council of Europe.  The whole electoral cycle was completed successfully enough, but the  whole thing ended in a skirmish between the demonstrators and the  police, and as a result, 10 people were killed, two of them  policemen. Ten years later, those who organized these mass riots came  to power who were convicted of organizing mass riots. So I'm talking  about a political vendetta. That is, ten years later those who lost  those elections came to power.  And today all their thoughts are  occupied with how to pay off with people whom they consider enemies  ", - Kocharyan.

Thus, according to Kocharyan, there are no grounds for instituting a  criminal case: "I was president, I do not understand how I could  overthrow the constitutional system, being the president who needs to  leave in a month."

To recall, second Armenian President Robert Kocharian was imprisoned  on July 28. The ex-president was charged under part 1 of Article  300.1 of the RA Criminal Code - overthrowing the constitutional order  of the Republic of Armenia by preliminary collusion with other  persons, which provides for deprivation of liberty from ten to  fifteen years in the criminal case on dispersal of protest actions on  March 1-2, 2008 .