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A group of supporters of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan are staging a protest outside the government building in downtown Yerevan, demanding the ex-president’s release.

The protesters are repeatedly chanting, ‘freedom to Kocharyan’, ‘Kocharyan, hero’, ‘Kocharyan, victory’ and ‘Nikol, liar’.

Kocharyan was arrested for the third time in June this year, nearly one month after being released from pre-trial custody on bail.

The ex-president was first arrested on 28 July 2018 after judge Vache Margaryan approved the relevant petition of the Special Investigative Service.

The protesters state the former president has been facing ‘unlawful criminal prosecution’ for one year already.

Speaking to reporters, one of Kocharyan’s supporters, Gagik Baghdasaryan said he and three other supporters of the former Armenian leader were detained on Sunday night.

“People dressed as civilians attacked us, forced us into cars and took us to the Kentron Police Department,” he said.

Baghdasaryan stressed they were denied legal grounds of their detention, while the supporters were told at the police station that they had been detained for being involved in ‘illegal activities’ and defying police orders.

According to the Kocharyan supporter, they had prepared posters for today’s demonstration and were trying to place them into the car at the time of detention.

“The police actions were aimed at frightening us, but we shall continue our work,” he said.