Biography
Robert Sedraki Kocharyan was born on August 31, 1954, in Khankendi, which later became a focal point in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He studied engineering at the National Polytechnic University of Armenia before moving into politics during the final years of the Soviet Union. His political career was influenced by the independence movement in Nagorno-Karabakh, where he quickly became a local leader.
Kocharyan's rise in politics began in the early 1990s when Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence from Azerbaijan. He served as Prime Minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic from 1992 to 1994, during the intense fighting of the Nagorno-Karabakh War. His leadership during this time made him a key figure in the region's self-determination efforts. In 1994, he was elected President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and served until 1997, managing the transition from war to post-conflict governance.
In 1997, Kocharyan entered Armenian national politics as Prime Minister, appointed by President Levon Ter-Petrosyan. This decision was controversial due to questions about his Armenian citizenship since he was born in Nagorno-Karabakh. After Ter-Petrosyan stepped down, Kocharyan was elected President of Armenia in 1998, securing re-election in 2003, both times after runoff elections.
During Kocharyan’s presidency from 1998 to 2008, Armenia saw significant growth, with the economy growing by an average of 12% annually between 2001 and 2007, driven mainly by construction and money sent by the Armenian diaspora. However, his time in office was also marked by increased authoritarianism and the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few. His presidency ended amid controversy due to the violent response to protests after the disputed 2008 presidential election, resulting in ten deaths and leading to his eventual legal prosecution.
After leaving office, Kocharyan faced legal issues related to the 2008 crackdown, with charges brought against him in 2018. His trial began in 2019 but ended in 2021 when Armenia’s Constitutional Court found the criminal code provision he was charged under unconstitutional. After Armenia's loss in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, Kocharyan returned to active politics, leading the Armenia Alliance in the 2021 parliamentary elections. His coalition finished second, becoming the main opposition in parliament.
Before Fame
Robert Kocharyan grew up in Khankendi, at the heart of the Armenian community in Nagorno-Karabakh during the Soviet era. Known as Stepanakert to Armenians, it was the central city of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. Living in this setting, Kocharyan directly experienced the tensions between the Armenian majority and Azerbaijani authorities, shaping his later political career.
After finishing his engineering studies at the National Polytechnic University of Armenia in Yerevan, Kocharyan went back to Nagorno-Karabakh as the Soviet Union started to open up under Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms. In the late 1980s, Armenians increasingly pushed for Nagorno-Karabakh to be transferred from Azerbaijan to Armenia, leading to the region declaring independence in 1991. These circumstances set the stage for Kocharyan's entry into politics, as local leaders needed to steer the transition from Soviet rule to independence amid rising conflict with Azerbaijan.
Key Achievements
- Served as President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic from 1994-1997 during the post-war reconstruction period
- Elected as Armenia's second President, serving two full terms from 1998-2008
- Oversaw Armenia's highest sustained economic growth period with 12% annual GDP growth from 2001-2007
- Led the Armenia Alliance to second place in the 2021 parliamentary elections, becoming the main opposition leader
- Received multiple international honors including the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour and Order of the White Eagle
Did You Know?
- 01.Kocharyan was married to Bella Kocharyan, who served as Armenia's First Lady during his presidency from 1998 to 2008
- 02.He received the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour from France, one of the highest decorations awarded by the French Republic
- 03.During his presidency, Armenia experienced one of the highest economic growth rates in the former Soviet Union, averaging 12% annually for six consecutive years
- 04.Kocharyan was awarded the Hero of Artsakh title, the highest honor of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, for his role in the independence movement
- 05.He became the first former president of Armenia to face criminal charges when he was indicted in 2018 for his role in the 2008 post-election violence
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Order of the White Eagle | — | — |
| Hero of Artsakh | — | — |
| Grand Cordon of the National Order of the Cedar | — | — |
| Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour | — | — |
| Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer | — | — |
| Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great | — | — |
| Order of Honour | — | — |
| Order of the Redeemer | — | — |
| Order of Vytautas the Great | — | — |
| National Order of the Cedar | — | — |
| Order of Bethlehem | — | — |
| The honorary doctor of Lebanese University | 1999 | — |
| Silver Olympic Order | 2003 | — |