Thursday, February 17 2022 16:46

ArmInfo. Second president of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan said that the trial against him and the accusation of taking a bribe on an especially large scale is a "clown  show".

So, on February 17, at a press conference in Yerevan, answering a  relevant question, he noted that he was ready for a court verdict, up  to and including detention. Speaking in general about this case, he  noted that even his defense did not understand what he was accused  of. He also said that for a long time, all his property was illegally  seized, which were removed by judicial means.

He also drew attention to the fact that the second criminal case  against him was initiated in a hurry, only in order to extend the  seizure of property. " The fact is that, and this is the most  interesting, there is one woman named Silva Hambardzumyan, whom I  personally did not know and did not suspect of her existence in  nature before this case. She had some kind of license to explore the  deposit. She wanted to resell it. According to one testimony, she  gave a bribe, in another she wanted to thank me and Serzh Sargsyan.  At that time, according to the law, permission was not required for  the resale of a license. She says that she offered money so that she  would not be hindered. When asked whether they were hindered or not,  she said No. But she thought we could, and to avoid trouble, offered  money. Simply absurd! And there is nothing in the indictment. It's  just that the woman gave a testimony, and it served as the basis for  the criminal case and the accusation. We don't even understand why. I  don't I understand what I did and what I should not have done and  vice versa. And especially, the president in 2007-2008 had no  authority in this regard," Kocharyan explained, adding that after the  2007 parliamentary elections, he did not even enter the government  building, since the Constitution was such. At the same time, he drew  attention to the fact that when in court he asked to clarify what  powers are you talking about, neither the judge nor the prosecutor  could answer. "They themselves admit that all this trial is absurd,  clown show," Kocharyan stated.

When asked whether a sentence could be passed given the current  situation around the judicial system, Kocharyan replied that "yes,  they can." "If Judge Bakhshiyan could be arrested [laughs] ...  although I don't think stupidity will reach such proportions.  Everyone will see how absurd it is. Hambardzumyan,  says that she  offered money through Oskanyan (ex-minister of foreign affairs - Ed  note). Oskanyan says that did not discuss the issue of transferring  money with anyone. Hambardzumyan says that she allegedly transferred  it through Mayrapetyan (a businessman-constructor), Mayratepyan says  that this is absurd and has never done this.