Judges Concerned: Under What Circumstances Can They Be Held Accountable?

The package of amendments to the "Judicial Code of the Republic of Armenia" and several other laws, adopted entirely on March 19 in the Parliament, has raised concerns among representatives of the judicial system. The issue lies in the fact that these amendments grant new powers to the Supreme Judicial Council, initiated by the newly elected member of the Council, Gagik Jhangiryan. Additionally, there have been changes that, according to judges, could serve as a straitjacket for them.

Specifically, judges are worried about a provision that allows citizens to file complaints with the Supreme Judicial Council about a judge's disciplinary responsibility, in addition to the Minister of Justice of Armenia and the Committee on Ethics and Disciplinary Issues of the Judges' General Assembly. It is not clarified at what stage this can be done, which implies that such actions could be possible at any stage of the proceedings. In other words, citizens can take greater control over judges administering justice, with all the negative consequences that may arise from this.

It should be noted that these amendments have been criticized in the Parliament by both opposition representatives and independent lawmakers. According to the "Haykakan Zhamanak" newspaper, this project will not be implemented and is set to be challenged in the Constitutional Court, where many lawyers believe it will ultimately fail.