Supreme Judicial Council Expresses Concern Over Judge's Office Search and Submits Motion

The Supreme Judicial Council has issued a statement regarding the case of Judge Davit Grigoryan, stating the following:

"Judge Davit Grigoryan of the General Jurisdiction Court of Yerevan has approached the Supreme Judicial Council, raising concerns about the legality of the seizure and search conducted in his office, as well as the sealing of his office door and the restriction on his access to it.

In order to seek clarification on these issues, the Council addressed the Acting Prosecutor General of Armenia on July 23, 2019, and received a response from the Acting Prosecutor General on July 26, 2019. Taking into account both Judge Davit Grigoryan’s inquiries and the clarifications provided by the Acting Prosecutor General, the Supreme Judicial Council finds that the investigative actions carried out by the investigator involved an action not provided for by the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia, namely, sealing the entrance door of Judge D. Grigoryan's office, thereby limiting his access to his own office.

According to Article 51, Part 7 of the Constitutional Law of the Judicial Code of Armenia, actions towards a judge within the framework of a criminal proceeding must be conducted with utmost respect for the confidentiality of the pre-trial criminal process, the judge's reputation, and independence, while excluding any direct or indirect interference in the judge's activities.

In light of the aforementioned, the Supreme Judicial Council has expressed its concern regarding the execution of this action by the prosecuting authority and has submitted a request to take the necessary legal measures as stipulated by law."