We have completed five investigations into corruption in 2023, one of which focused on the Erebuni branch and involved a serious case of bribery and the participation of lawyers in corrupt and unethical practices. The case has already been sent to court. Today, on May 3, Armenia’s Chief Judge, Anna Vardapetyan, discussed this issue with journalists from the YPC.

“All corruption investigations have uncovered carefully planned schemes,” she said. When an official or activist commits a crime, the process moves quickly, resulting in their arrest and prosecution. However, in cases involving authorities or individuals with influential connections, the process slows down, according to Anna Vardapetyan. “These evaluations, which come from political circles, lead me to believe that they are the ones involved in these illegal actions. However, we don’t have direct evidence of corruption in all cases. I assume you are comparing this issue with the statements made during the interrogation,” Anna Vardapetyan addressed the journalists.

We are conducting investigations related to journalists who have been examining court cases. We monitor the situation regularly. Two recent cases occurred in the Tavush region, involving an opera singer and a journalist. The Tavush regional administration has sent a request to the regional government to discuss conducting an investigation. We will also have two investigations from 2023.

Regarding the involvement of offenders and how Leon Kocharyan’s assistant directly became involved, Anna Vardapetyan stated, “Being an offender is not the purpose. In the situation you mentioned, we have evidence of an offense and its dissemination. The issue is related to the information base. When an individual directly attacks another person during a live broadcast and makes insulting remarks, it is recorded, broadcasted, and serves as evidence for completing the investigation. All broadcasts with electronic monitoring are promptly sent to court. In this case, the person says, ‘Stop talking about the sacred land’ and provokes.”

Regarding reports of clashes by activists against Armday’s opera performances in Tavush and the absence of an investigation, the chief judge explained, “To answer your question, we need a proper understanding of the organization’s activities. We strive to be objective and independent, and we guarantee that all messages sent from our side will be treated fairly. However, since there hasn’t been a dedicated investigation conducted yet, I cannot answer the most desirable question because each organization performs its activities within the scope of its own powers. The judicial body does not conduct investigations.”