Former President Robert Kocharyan and Officials Asked to Repay $1.7M Over Misused Funds Linked to March 1 Tragedy

Armenia's former President Robert Kocharyan and several other ex-officials have been ordered by an Armenian court to repay approximately 670 million drams ($1.7 million). The money was originally allocated to support victims of the violent events that took place in the capital, Yerevan, on March 1 and 2, 2008.

The case was brought by the Prosecutor General's Office, which filed a lawsuit on Monday with the Anti-Corruption Court. The lawsuit demands compensation for the funds that were allocated from the state budget to aid victims of the March 2008 tragedy. Along with Kocharyan, the lawsuit names former Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan, former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, and former Chief of the General Staff Yuri Khachaturov as co-defendants.

The Prosecutor General’s Office claims that the money must be returned to the state, suggesting it was not used appropriately or that there is legal responsibility tied to these officials for the way the funds were handled.

The events of March 1 and 2, 2008, originated from widespread protests in Yerevan following the presidential elections held on February 19, 2008. The opposition, led by former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan and other political figures, disputed the election results, which declared Serge Sargsyan the winner with 53% of the vote.

Supporters of Ter-Petrosyan gathered in Freedom Square, Yerevan, beginning February 20, 2008, and protested for ten days. Despite government warnings, the protests continued, with tens of thousands joining during the day and hundreds camping overnight.

On March 1, police and military forces attempted to disperse the protesters. The operation resulted in violence, with security forces using batons and electric shock devices against those remaining. The crackdown led to the deaths of ten people, and many protesters were reported missing shortly after.

Later that day, President Robert Kocharyan declared a 20-day state of emergency, banning demonstrations and restricting media coverage to official statements only. The government justified this by pointing to looting and destruction of property by a small group during the unrest, although opposition leaders denied any connection between the looters and the peaceful protesters.

The protests officially ended on the morning of March 2, after opposition leader Ter-Petrosyan called on demonstrators to disperse.

The incident is commonly referred to in Armenia as "Marti mek," meaning "March First."

Levon Ter-Petrosyan served as Armenia’s first president from 1991 until 1998. He resigned because of political pressure and allegations of election fraud. Robert Kocharyan succeeded him and was re-elected in 2003 despite claims of electoral irregularities.

Kocharyan completed his second term in 2008 and supported his Prime Minister, Serge Sargsyan, as his successor. The 2008 presidential election saw Sargsyan declared the winner, while Ter-Petrosyan came second. The election outcome sparked the protests that led to the March events.

International observers said the election mostly met international standards despite opposition allegations.

This court ruling demanding repayment of funds linked to the March 2008 events shows the ongoing legal and political challenges connected to one of Armenia’s most turbulent recent periods.

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