Armenia Catholicos urges release of ex-President Kocharyan from jail

PanARMENIAN.Net - Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II has urged the authorities to release former President Robert Kocharyan, citing recommendations from doctors to safeguard Kocharyan against health complications amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Kocharyan, who was the President of Armenia in 1998–2008, is accused of overthrowing the constitutional order and money laundering. The first case is related to the crackdown on peaceful protesters marching against the results of the presidential election in March 2008. At the time, ten people were killed in clashes between protesters and the police, about 200 were injured. At the end of August 2018, the court released Kocharyan on bail but he was incarcerated again on December 7 of 2019.

The Catholicos believes that a person’s life was given to them by God, and that caring for them is everyone’s responsibility.

Given the spreading pandemic, the Catholicos said, special attention is paid around the world to persons in captivity, “and welcome measures are being taken to free people who do not pose a threat to the society," in order to avoid infection.

Armenia has extended the state of emergency by 30 days until May 14.

So far, 1067 people have tested positive for Covid-19, 265 people have recovered, 16 have died in the country.