Ex-minister accuses Armenia's top court of deadline violation

Former Justice Minister Davit Harutyunyan has accused Armenia’s Constitutional Court of violating legal deadlines while reviewing a petition on the illicit asset forfeiture law.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Harutyunyan, who represented a group of lawmakers that submitted the petition, said the petition was submitted in November 2021, yet no ruling has been issued over three and a half years later.

He noted that the law requires such cases to be resolved within six months, extendable to nine. Although the court suspended proceedings twice to consult the Venice Commission and await input from the Prosecutor General’s Office, the latter response was received in August 2023.

"Even considering the suspensions, the court has violated the deadlines, demonstrating total inaction for over two years. This constitutes a serious legal violation," Harutyunyan said, calling the delay not only unreasonable but also illegal.