Authorities searching Hrayr Tovmasyan's apartment

Armenia’s Special Investigative Service (SIS) started a search in the apartment of Hrayr Tovmasyan, the chairman of the Constitutional Court, on Friday morning.

In a post on Facebook Tovmasyan's lawyer Amram Makinyan said after the search operations complete the team of lawyers representing the Constitutional Court chair will issue a statement.

SIS charged Tovmasyan with an abuse of power on 27 December 2019. Tovmasyan denied any wrongdoing, adding the charges are part of a “political process” aimed at forcing him to step down.

“I was warned six months ago that one day I will be charged for not taking X, Y and Z steps. The X, Y and Z steps are my resignation,” he said, adding a strong government pressure has been exerted on him and other Constitutional Court judges in the recent 6-7 months.