Kocharyan’s defense team apply for judge’s self-withdrawal: judge and attorney Aram Orbelyan are in friendly relations

Robert Kocharyan’s defense team has applied for self-withdrawal of judge Artur Mkrtchyan.

Speaking to reporters, attorney Aram Orbelyan explained the decision with the close friendly relations between him and the family of the judge.

“We are in close relations with the son of the judge, we have participated in different joint events, we studied in same class, we went to piano classes together. Besides, the judge is close friend of my wife’s uncle,” he said.

“If this judge applied bail and did not prolong the arrest it would have become a reason for the investigative body to claim that the decision was illegal. This is why we asked judge’s self-withdrawal,” he added.

The prosecutor though objected the petition, noting that in any case attorney Orbelyan and the judge are not friends.

The court left for consultation.