Armenia’s Prosecutor General has again refused to reopen the case of Soghomon Kocharyan, now serving his 20th year in prison for the murder of an Iranian citizen.

Kocharyan’s lawyer Robert Revazyan informed Hetq that he recently received the rejection.

Kocharyan had petitioned Armenia’s Prosecutor General to reopen the case given recent revelations unearthed by Hetq in the autobiography written by the original prosecuting attorney regarding the intervention of Iran in the legal proceeding.

The Prosecutor General’s office argues that such information cannot be regarded as a basis to review Kocharyan’s case.

In his autobiography, state prosecutor Zhirayr Kharatyan, writes that when he found out about the Iranian meddling he decided to write an official note about the matter, express his opinion, and then resign.

This is the second time the Prosecutor General’s Office has rejected a petition to reopen the case.

After Hetq uncovered Kharatyan’s misgivings about the way the case was handled, Hetq chief editor Edik Baghdasaryan petitioned the Prosecutor General to admit the finding as a basis for reopening the case. This petition was rejected on the same argument.

Attorney Revazyan told Hetq that the defense is preparing to appeal the rejection once again at the Kentron and Nork-Marash Court of Jurisdiction.

His view on Kocharyan’s guilty verdict remains the same – that is was the result of political meddling by a foreign country.