David Balayan: The Supreme Judicial Council Must Consider How to Hold the Minister of Justice Accountable

The Supreme Judicial Council must consider what kind of accountability to impose on the Minister of Justice, as the ball is in its court, and Mr. Azaryan, in my opinion, expresses the collective will of the judges. This was stated by David Balayan, a judge of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction, in an interview with 24News, responding to a statement made by the President of the Judges' Union, Judge Alexander Azaryan, on February 18.

Azaryan had sent a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council mentioning that on February 11 he had given an interview to the media outlet Factor.am and on February 14 to the radio station Azatutyun's Facebook press conference, during which the Minister of Justice Karen Andreasian, violating the principles of conduct expected from public servants, did not display behavior befitting his political office, showing a lack of basic courteousness and political restraint, made insulting and labeling statements against judges, representatives of the other branch of power, undermining the authority of the judiciary, which did not receive an appropriate response.

Judge Azaryan also proposed the Council to join this statement and raise the issue of holding the mentioned official accountable before the competent body, thereby curbing his unlawful behavior.

Responding to this statement, the press office of the Ministry of Justice conveyed Minister Karen Andreasian's position to the newspaper