Robert kocharyan yerkir media

YEREVAN—Armenia’s Special Investigative Service (SIS) on Thursday, July 26, officially charged Armenia’s former president Robert Kocharian for “usurping state power” under article 300 of the criminal code.

Yerkir media news

The charges stem from the events of March 1, 2008, when eight civilians and two police officers were killed during a post presidential-election opposition protest. If convicted, Kocharian faces imprisonment for 10 to 15 years. The investigators have asked a court to issue an arrest warrant for Kocharian.

Earlier this month, the SIS charged Armenia’s Defense Minister at the time Mikael Harutiunyan with the same offense.

On July 3, SIS charged that on February 23, 2008, Harutiunyan secretly and illegally ordered the army to help enforce the official vote results. Military units began moving in to Yerevan in the following days and were actively engaged in the ensuing crackdown that resulted in the 10 deaths.

Kocharian told Yerkir Media TV that the case against him was “a