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The Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction, presided by judge Armen Bektashyan, resumed today hearings on extension of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan’s pre-trial arrest sought by the Special Investigative Service (SIS).

A SIS investigator filed a motion to extend the ex-president’s arrest for another two months at Wednesday’s court hearing.

Kocharyan’s attorneys are expected to present their objections at today’s hearing.

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom on Wednesday, one of Kocharyan’s attorneys, Hayk Alumyan said the SIS motion to extend the former president’s arrest cited the same arguments that he might avoid or obstruct the investigation.

Earlier in January, the Yerevan court declined the defense motion to release Kocharyan on bail and instead approved the prosecutor’s motion to extend arrest imposed on him as a pre-trial measure of restraint.

The ex-president yan has been placed in custody since December 7, 2018, pending trial. He is charged with overthrowing Armenia’s constitutional order during the March 1-2, 2008 post-election events in Yerevan, but strongly denies any wrongdoing.