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Special Investigative Service (SIS) of Armenia has officially charged the country’s second president Robert Kocharyan in the scope of the criminal investigation into the so-called March 1 events - the post presidential election crackdown in 2008 during which eight civilians and two police officers were killed.

Following Kocharyan’s interrogation on Thursday, the SIS announced that it had charged the ex-president with Part 1 of the Article 300.1 of the RA Criminal Code, saying Kocharyan’s actions amounted to a “overthrowing of constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia,”

The SIS also issued an arrest warrant for him with the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction set to hear the case on Friday morning.

Kocharyan, who served as Armenia’s president at a time of March 1, 2008 declared a 20-day state of emergency, with the approval of the Armenian parliament, banning future demonstrations and censoring the media from broadcasting any political news except those issued by official state press releases. The decision was justified on the grounds that a minority of demonstrators looted a nearby grocery store on Mashtots Avenue and set fire to a handful of police vehicles and buses.

A month ago, the SIS announced that it had charged Armenia’s then defense minister Mikael Harutyunyan with illegally mobilizing Armenia’s Armed Forces against peaceful demonstrators, saying it amounted to a “breach of constitutional order” and issued an arrest warrant for him.

After the interrogation Robert Kocharyan described the criminal case as a “vendetta” against him in an interview with Yerkir Media TV Channel, saying the decision of the investigative body is most probably is aimed at neutralizing his possible participation in the upcoming political processes. 

Note: Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.