The RA Supreme Judicial Council has responded to the recent announcement by the RA Judicial Department. The department had previously shared information that the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Suren Khachatryan, attended a session of the RA Government, during which all the accused were released by the court after accepting a petition by the prosecutor. The Council acknowledged this decision but expressed concerns about the practice of judges spending years in courtrooms without the accused being placed under arrest. This situation is seen as a problem.

The RA Judicial Department has taken steps to address the criticism raised against the decisions of the court. They have examined objections mentioned in complaints, reviewed assessments and conclusions presented in preliminary investigation reports, and issued an announcement regarding measures to prevent judges from participating abusively in criminal proceedings. The Department aims to curb the involvement of judges’ family members through the abuse of their official positions, and to prevent any violation of the principle of judicial independence or engagement in corrupt actions, financial offenses, and other illegal activities.

Furthermore, the Supreme Judicial Council is committed to ensuring the systematic application of the law and the principle of punishment for committing certain criminal acts. In order to achieve this, they will evaluate the published conclusions of judicial acts and preliminary investigation reports, as well as the basis and grounds for discussions conducted during criminal case examinations.

The RA Judicial Department has reiterated its dedication to implementing measures that counteract judges’ abusive participation in criminal proceedings. They will also take into account the specific bodies and structures that are exempt from the provisions mentioned in their announcement.