Armenia's ex-president Kocharyan freed from custody: lawyer

Armenia's President Robert Kocharyan speaks to the media after casting his ballot at a polling station in Yerevan February 19, 2008. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili (ARMENIA) -

YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armenia's former president Robert Kocharyan was freed from custody on Monday following a court ruling, but remained accused of the charges he was arrested for last month, lawyer Ruben Sahakyan said. Kocharyan, who served as president from 1998 to 2008, was arrested on charges of usurping power and attempting to overthrow the constitutional order during events after the 2008 elections when his ally Serzh Sarksyan became the next president. Kocharyan has dismissed the charges as politically motivated. (Reporting by Hasmik Mkrtchyan; Writing by Tom Balmforth)