The process of political repression against Robert Kocharyan has long gone beyond the scope of a legal dispute: Samvel Karapetyan

Samvel Karapetyan, the leader of the Strong Armenia party, congratulated Robert Kocharyan, the second President of Armenia, on his 72nd birthday, noting that the repressive process against him had long gone beyond the scope of a legal dispute.

“Today, this congratulation has a special political significance. The political repressive process against Robert Kocharyan has long gone beyond the scope of a legal dispute. The President, who stood at the forefront of the security and protection of the statehood of Armenia and Artsakh during the years of his government activity, is currently under arrest and is subject to political persecution.

We may have different political views, different assessments, and even disagreements. At the same time, in a rule-of-law and democratic state, political competition should not escalate into political revenge. Armenia’s future cannot be built through the persecution and imprisonment of political opponents or dissidents. The internal policy of hatred, revenge and division cannot create real additional value, and the challenges facing Armenia require the exact opposite,” the message says.