Judge Submits Resignation

The judge of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction, Karine Petrosyan, submitted her resignation request today to the Supreme Judicial Council.

“Months of ongoing processes surrounding the disciplinary proceedings and criminal case against me have revealed the issue faced by the judiciary, where judges are left to confront pressures and challenges alone. This is because the Supreme Judicial Council, which was intended to guarantee the independence of judges, has transformed from a guardian into a local arm of the former ruling party, punishing and restraining judges with a single signature or vote from one ‘individual’. The authority has been handed over to a person who was elected in violation of constitutional laws and whose term of powers has long since expired,” she wrote.

“Throughout these legal processes, I have adhered to the restraint and neutrality expected of a judge. Despite the current suspension of the criminal proceedings initiated against me and the dismissal of the disciplinary case, neither I nor any other judge are guaranteed protection from ongoing ‘persecutions’. The existence of disciplinary proceedings against judges in politically sensitive cases serves as proof of this. And as long as these processes continue, the struggle goes on…”

She expressed her gratitude to all the colleagues who, through their moral support, affirmed the truth of her chosen path. She also thanked the members of the Supreme Judicial Council who did not hesitate to defend the violated rights of their colleagues.