Lawyer urges efforts to ensure judges' independence in Armenia

Lawyer Aram Obrelyan calls for efforts to ensure judicial independence and impunity in Armenia, stating government officials should be banned from criticizing court rulings.

“There is a big problem with ensuring the independence of judges in the country,” he told parliamentary debates on the overloading of courts on Tuesday.

The lawyer proposes a lifetime ban on holding high-ranking posts for those officials who criticize a court decision, claiming the measure would partially solve the problem of the judicial independence.

"There is a serious problem with criminal cases; any motion that could lead to the dismissal of the case is not heard, it is postponed or left without consideration,” Obrelyan said.

“In fact, judges' decisions, especially in high-profile cases, prompt an aggressive reaction from the authorities," the lawyer added.