Robert Kocharyan

Last updated: May 29, 2026

Robert Kocharyan served as President of Armenia from 1998 to 2008, making him the second president of the post-Soviet republic. Before that he served as President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic from 1994 to 1997 and as Prime Minister of Armenia. His decade in power shaped the political and economic landscape of the country and its approach to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

After leaving the presidency, Kocharyan faced criminal prosecution under the Pashinyan government on charges related to the March 2008 post-election crackdown, a case that became a focal point of the political struggle between the ruling party and the opposition. He was eventually acquitted and returned to active political life as the leader of the Armenia Alliance (Hayastan Dashinq), an opposition coalition that includes the ARF and other forces.

With more than 60 episodes of coverage, Groong has followed Kocharyan’s legal battles, his political comeback, his leadership of the opposition coalition, and the Armenia Alliance’s positions on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the peace process with Azerbaijan, and Armenia’s geopolitical orientation. He is one of the central figures in the contest for power heading into the June 2026 parliamentary elections.

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Robert Kocharyan.

Tensions on the Border | Latest IRI & MPG Polls | Election Politics | (Ep #65) - May 30, 2021 [EP65]

Posted on Monday, May 31, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Azerbaijan, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 30, 2021 Topics:

  • Continued Tensions on the Eastern Border
  • Latest IRI and MPG Polls on the Armenian Elections
  • Election Politics

Guests:

  • Hrant Mikaelian
  • George Tabakyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 65 | Recorded: May 30, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210530.html

Tensions on the Border | Latest IRI & MPG Polls | Election Politics | (Ep #65) - May 30, 2021 [EP65]

Posted on Monday, May 31, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Azerbaijan, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 30, 2021 Topics:

  • Continued Tensions on the Eastern Border
  • Latest IRI and MPG Polls on the Armenian Elections
  • Election Politics

Guests:

  • Hrant Mikaelian
  • George Tabakyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 65 | Recorded: May 30, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210530.html

Azerbaijan Incursion in Syunik | Lavrov in Yerevan/Baku | Electoral Politics (Ep #61) May 16, 2021 [EP61]

Posted on Monday, May 17, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Iran, Ukraine, China, Genocide, India, Israel, Middle East, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 16, 2021 Topics:

  • Azerbaijan’s Incursion into Syunik
  • Lavrov’s Visit to Yerevan and Baku
  • Electoral Politics

Guests:

  • Tatul Hakobyan
  • Emil Sanamyan
  • Artyom Tonoyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan @HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian @qubriq

Episode 60 | Recorded: May 2, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210516.html

Azerbaijan Incursion in Syunik | Lavrov in Yerevan/Baku | Electoral Politics (Ep #61) May 16, 2021 [EP61]

Posted on Monday, May 17, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Iran, Ukraine, China, Genocide, India, Israel, Middle East, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 16, 2021 Topics:

  • Azerbaijan’s Incursion into Syunik
  • Lavrov’s Visit to Yerevan and Baku
  • Electoral Politics

Guests:

  • Tatul Hakobyan
  • Emil Sanamyan
  • Artyom Tonoyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan @HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian @qubriq

Episode 60 | Recorded: May 2, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210516.html

Kocharyan Case | Electoral reforms | New Gallup Poll | Ukraine heating Up | (Ep #56) - Apr 4, 2021 [EP56]

Posted on Monday, Apr 5, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkey, China, Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: wir

Guest(s):

ANN/Groong Week in Review - April 4, 2021

Topics:

  • Kocharyan’s Prosecutors Won’t Go Away
  • Snap Electoral Reforms
  • New Gallup poll
  • What’s Going on in Ukraine?

Guests

  • Asbed Kotchikian
  • Emil Sanamyan

Hosts

  • Asbed Bedrossian
  • Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210404.html Episode 56 | Recorded: April 4, 2021

Kocharyan Case | Electoral reforms | New Gallup Poll | Ukraine heating Up | (Ep #56) - Apr 4, 2021 [EP56]

Posted on Monday, Apr 5, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkey, China, Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO

Guest(s):

ANN/Groong Week in Review - April 4, 2021

Topics:

  • Kocharyan’s Prosecutors Won’t Go Away
  • Snap Electoral Reforms
  • New Gallup poll
  • What’s Going on in Ukraine?

Guests

  • Asbed Kotchikian
  • Emil Sanamyan

Hosts

  • Asbed Bedrossian
  • Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210404.html Episode 56 | Recorded: April 4, 2021

Lost in Artsakh | Law on Mass Media | Political Scene in Yerevan | Economic Outlook (Ep #48) [EP48]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 9, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh, Economy, Iran, China, Turkey, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir

Guest(s):

ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 48 - February 7, 2021

Topics Covered:

  • Lost in Artsakh, Thirsty in Syunik
  • Amending the Law on Mass Media
  • Update on the Political Scene in Yerevan
  • Rising National Debt, Inflation and Interest Rates

Guests

  • Hrant Mikaelian
  • Emil Sanamyan

Your Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210207.html Recorded: February 7, 2021

Lost in Artsakh | Law on Mass Media | Political Scene in Yerevan | Economic Outlook (Ep #48) [EP48]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 9, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh, Economy, Iran, China, Turkey, Nagorno Karabakh

Guest(s):

ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 48 - February 7, 2021

Topics Covered:

  • Lost in Artsakh, Thirsty in Syunik
  • Amending the Law on Mass Media
  • Update on the Political Scene in Yerevan
  • Rising National Debt, Inflation and Interest Rates

Guests

  • Hrant Mikaelian
  • Emil Sanamyan

Your Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210207.html Recorded: February 7, 2021

Conversation with Aram Vardevanyan (Ep #41) - 01/13/2021 [EP41]

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 13, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Human Rights, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Israel, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade | Series: cog

Guest(s):

Conversation with Aram Vardevanyan - 01/13/2021

Since Nikol Pashinyan came to power in 2018, and prior to the Artsakh war of 2020, issues around the Armenian constitution and constitutional court have been in the center of public attention. These issues have been partly fueled by one of the most prominent legal cases in recent Armenian history, the March 1 trial against Armenian president Robert Kocharyan and military leadership at the time. We’ll explore issues surrounding the March 1 case, as well as legal and specifically constitutional questions related

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