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A group of supporters of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan are rallying outside the Ombudsman’s Office in Yerevan, holding up posters that read: “No to Persecution”, “No to Injustice”, “Speak for Justice”, “Freedom to the President” and the like.

Speaking to reporters, one of the organizers of the campaign said they have gathered in front of the Human Rights Defender’s Office to hand over a copy of the letter sent to outgoing EU Ambassador to Armenia Piotr Świtalski also to Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan to call his attention to the violations of Kocharyan’s rights.

“The letter features 28 issues concerning the judicial and legal mayhem in Armenia, in particular over Robert Kocharyan’s case. We are strongly convinced that Robert Kocharyan is a political prisoner. We are asking the human rights defender to express his opinion on the issues expressed in the letter,” he said.

Organizers of the rally left the letter at the reception of the Ombudsman’s Office, but no meeting with Arman Tatoyan followed.

“We will update you all on the responses to the letter,” an organizer said.

Kocharyan is under arrest currently, with his lawyers insisting there has been no development in the criminal case involving the ex-president for almost a month and a half, which they say is a gross violation of his rights under the Armenian Constitution, the European Convention on Human Rights and the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.