Armenia's ex-president released on more than $4M bail

ANKARA

Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan was released from jail Thursday by the Criminal Court of Appeals on a bail of 2 billion Armenian drams ($4.16 million).

Kocharyan, 64, along with three former officials on trial for overthrowing the constitutional order and bribery, is also accused of orchestrating post-election clashes between police and protesters March 1, 2008, which claimed 10 lives.

He was arrested in 2018 but released months later. He was taken into custody last year.

Kocharyan, served as president for a decade, is currently undergoing treatment at a clinic in the capital of Yerevan.

His lawyers welcomed the decision for release but called the bail amount "unprecedented."

The second president of Armenia, Kocharyan was elected March 30, 1998 and re-elected March 5, 2003. He served until 2008.