My Tenure as Minister of Justice Ends Today: Andreasian

Karen Andreasian has announced that today marks the end of his tenure as Armenia's Minister of Justice.

“Today, my tenure as Armenia's Minister of Justice has come to an end. During my time in office, which lasted over a year, the following results have been achieved:

1. Anti-corruption courts were established in three levels (first instance, appellate, and cassation). New infrastructure was created for the new courts.
2. The patrol police expanded into six new regions. The capabilities of existing patrols increased. Conceptual work on the formation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the legal framework has been finalized.
3. The Anti-Corruption Committee was created and successfully started operating with new standards for staffing and overall management.
4. The structure and model of the new Arbitration Center of Armenia were developed, and a large network of well-known specialists in the field of arbitration was formed. A draft of the center's charter and amendments to the law 'On Arbitration' were prepared.
5. The strategy for public administration reforms was revised and approved, forming an implementable leadership team.
6. Unified public service offices were opened in the cities of Gyumri and Vanadzor. A new concept for the next office in the city of Abovyan was prepared, which will provide 450 public services, up from the current 110.
7. The Expert Center of the Ministry was equipped with the most modern tools and technical capabilities necessary for expertise. The salaries of experts increased by 80 percent. The backlog of expert conclusions that had been accumulating for years was cleared.
8. The salaries of judges of the Cassation and Constitutional Courts were raised by 50 percent. The total number of judges in various courts increased by 50.
9. The development of a digital module for civil proceedings was initiated.
10. The formation of the electronic management system for pre-trial procedures in criminal cases is in its final stage.
11. Works were started on the development of a unified electronic platform for electronic justice (e-justice.am) as well as the digitization of administrative, criminal, bankruptcy, and anti-corruption judicial processes.
12. Nearly completed were the electronic system for probation (e-probation) and the electronic healthcare system (e-health), which will operate by the end of the year.
13. Work began on the new electronic management system of the Enforcement Service (e-cesa), as well as the electronic notary management system (e-notary).
14. A new and sufficiently capacious server node was acquired to ensure the launch of the new electronic management system of the Enforcement Service.
15. The development of the electronic bankruptcy platform (e-bankruptcy) reached its final stage.
16. A completely new quality strategy for judicial reforms was adopted, making the many reforms in this sector irreversible and realistic until 2026.
17. More than 100 legislative acts were adopted to launch and improve the new Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code.
18. A comprehensive report on gaps in the Electoral Code was developed, which will further improve the existing electoral code.
19. A new Criminal Execution Code was adopted and came into force, replacing the old code that was accepted about twenty years ago and written with a Soviet logic.
20. A comprehensive draft of amendments to the Law on Mediation was developed and put into circulation (mandatory mediation, online mediation, new qualification system for mediators, etc.).
21. A new draft of the Law on Probation Services was developed and initiated.
22. In close cooperation and exclusive agreement with the legal community, a package of amendments to the Law on Advocacy was developed and adopted.
23. An electronic monitoring system was acquired to apply house arrest and administrative supervision measures as alternatives to detention. The overall system will be ready for operation by the end of the year.
24. A concept for the construction of a new correctional facility in the area of Erebuni was developed. The new facility will replace four existing facilities in Yerevan. Three-dimensional modeling was performed, and the technical task for architectural design was developed.
25. The installation of a new ventilation system in the 'Armavir' correctional facility has nearly been completed, which will significantly improve the living conditions of inmates, as well as a modern surveillance system was introduced to prevent many new crimes.
26. Convicts over the age of 19 began receiving secondary education with state support.
27. A program was initiated to organize lawyer-client communication via video calls in correctional institutions. It will be ready for use by the end of the year.
28. To prevent deaths in correctional facilities, tools for assessing the risks of self-harm and suicide, as well as screening and risk assessment for mental health, have been developed and are already being piloted.
29. Instruments for the proper recording of medical examinations related to the documentation of torture or other forms of cruel treatment were introduced in correctional institutions. Modern medical equipment was acquired to ensure that persons deprived of freedom receive proper medical assistance and service.
30. Several offices of the probation service were renovated, individual rooms were created for psychological support for clients, and the technical equipment of the service was ensured.

This list is, of course, not exhaustive. Many other works have been carried out that have prepared numerous new projects and initiatives that will soon genuinely enhance a justice sector that has been justifiably criticized. After all, on a daily basis, dozens of structures and subdivisions subordinate to the ministry operated almost without interruption.

All this was, of course, achieved through the efforts of thousands of dedicated members of the Ministry of Justice and several dozen brilliant leaders. I merely worked to not obstruct their vigorous work. All of the listed results did not start with me, and the upcoming new reforms will, of course, not end with my departure. All of this commenced with the revolution of 2018 and the efforts of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's team.

I am especially grateful to Mr. Pashinyan for trusting me with this great responsibility and for his daily substantial support for all our positive initiatives. I would like to thank all members of the Government, all deputies actively working in the National Assembly, all partners from state structures, and the highly professional staff of the Prime Minister. A special thank you to all NGOs and media outlets; especially their objective criticism has greatly assisted us. I also thank all ambassadors and international organizations for their heartfelt support in the field of justice.

In any status, I will continue my work so that there is ultimately justice for all in Armenia, and the only way to achieve that is through a fair and effective court system.”

It should be noted that the Civil Contract faction in the National Assembly nominated Karen Andreasian and Yeranuhi Tumanyants for the two vacant positions on the Supreme Judicial Council.