The current and former Presidents of Artsakh again submit a petition  for Kocharyan`s release under their personal guarantee

ArmInfo.Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan and former President Arkady Ghukasyan again submitted to the court a petition to change the measure of restraint against the first  President of Artsakh, the second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan under their personal guarantee.

Sahakyan and Ghukasyan guaranteed to the court that Kocharyan, if the  measure of restraint against him was changed, would not hinder the  investigation, and would also try to avoid meetings with  representatives of the body conducting the proceedings and would not  commit a crime.

"We are committed to the fact that if Kocharyan is released from  custody, throughout the court proceedings, he will show proper  behavior, will not hinder the investigation, and will not avoid the  court. ", the petition of the presidents reads. Lawyers for Robert  Kocharyan made a request to consider this petition today. Judge David  Grigoryan, however, noted that the person who appealed to the court  must personally present in the courtroom and confirm his petition, in  addition, the court must explain to the person submitting the  petition of his obligation.

According to the judge, the one who stands as guarantor for a person  under arrest is responsible if the charged does not behave properly.  Kocharyan's lawyers promised before the end of the court session to  clarify whether the former and current presidents of Artsakh will be  able to appear in court in person.

To note, last week Arkady Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan appealed to the  Prosecutor General of Armenia with a proposal to change the measure  of restraint  against Kocharyan under their guarantee. In their  address to the Prosecutor General, Sahakyan and Ghukasyan noted that  every year on May 9, the Victory Day, the Day of the formation of the  NKR Defense Army and the liberation of Shushi are celebrated in  Artsakh. According to tradition, all the former heads of Artsakh,  people who made a significant contribution to the Karabakh war, who  were at the origin of the state and the army, participated in the  liberation of Shushi and achieving victory, among other guests,  participate in the festivities in Shushi and Stepanakert. <Taking  into account the fact that the first President of Artsakh, Robert  Kocharyan is under arrest, we ask you, on the eve of May 9, to make  the appropriate decision on changing the preventive measure. We are  ready to come up with any public guarantees that will be necessary  for his release from prison and for his release during the entire  legal process. We hope that your decision will be possible the  participation of all three presidents of NKR at the festive events of  May 9 in Stepanakert and Shushi, which undoubtedly will be a signal  of solidarity and unity not only for our society, but for the whole  world, as well as the enemy. "

The prosecutor on their message stated that the case has already been  sent to the court, and only the body carrying out the proceedings, in  this case the court, has the right to change the measure of  restraint.

In turn, at his press conference on May 8, RA Prime Minister Nikol  Pashinyan noted that there may be friendly relations between the  Presidents of Artsakh and Robert Kocharyan, and he can understand the  human side of the problem. "However, if it comes to the safety of  Artsakh, now the hero of Artsakh, General Manvel Grigoryan, is in  prison. Why isn't he mentioned, why nobody stands guarantor for him?"  Pashinyan wondered. He noted that if they apply for Kocharyan, they  could have applied for Grigoryan as well, thus, the logic according  to which Ghukasyan and Sahakyan decided to guarantee for Kocharyan  remained unclear for the Armenian Prime Minister.

Pashinyan also stressed that the accusation against Kocharyan is more  serious than the accusation against Grigoryan. He also noted that  earlier another hero of Artsakh was in jail, but the NKR presidents  didn't entrust him (the matter concerns Artsakh's ex-minister of  defense Samvel Babayan, ed. note).