Kocharyan`s office comments on disruption of press conference:  Today`s incident confirms that the new authorities will not tolerate  dissent

ArmInfo.  The office of the  second president of Armenia issued a statement in connection with the  failure of today's press conference by Robert Kocharyan in the  "Erebuni Plaza" hotel.

According to the office of the second president of Armenia, serious  political statements were to be made at the press conference, and  answers were to be given to many questions of concern to the public.  "However, a group of people known as activists close to the  government and associates of Nikol Pashinyan prevented the holding of  this conference and played a cheesy staging of "allegedly" enraged  people. " The names of the main" actors" of this staging are already  spread in social networks and media, and there is no doubt that these  actions were ordered, "Kocharyan's office statement reads.

At the same time, the office of the second president qualifies  today's well-organized and planned incident as petty hooliganism, and  called not to pay attention to it. "It is clear that Kocharyan will  express his position on the most pressing political issues through  another press conference or interview, but we consider it necessary  to note that what happened is, in fact, a forced and brutal attempt  by the authorities to prevent the free expression of the position of  political opponents, as well as communication with society through  the media. This is nothing more than a rude suppression of dissent or  as one of the known political figures recently said "terror of  thought." Today's incident confirms concerns that the new government  will not tolerate dissent and can carry out political persecution  against political opponents, especially those whose political and  prospects are a cause for serious concern for them "-. the statement  by Kocharyan's office reads.

To note, on August 13 the Armenian Appeals Court granted the petition  of the second President Robert Kocharyan's lawyer and canceled the  decision of the court of the first instance, "Since he enjoys  immunity" Robert Kocharyan was released in the courtroom.  The  Special Investigation Service expressed the conviction that the  court's decision to release the second President of Armenia Robert  Kocharyan from arrest was unlawful and that the court exceeded its  powers.  It should be noted that today Kocharyan planned to give a  press conference. However, it did not take place, because it was  failed by activists. The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia  intends to appeal against the decision of the Appeal court in a  higher instance.