Political Persecution Against Supreme Court President Hrayr Tovmasyan, Defends

Political persecution wrapped in a criminal procedure is being conducted against the President of the Constitutional Court, Hrayr Tovmasyan. This was stated by Tovmasyan's defender, Amram Makinyan, during a conversation with journalists at the Constitutional Court.

He noted that he would not answer any other questions and added that there would be a press conference where they would respond to all legal inquiries.

Earlier, it was reported that representatives of the Special Investigation Service (SIS) had interrogated Hrayr Tovmasyan, after which charges were brought against him under part 2 of Article 308 of the RA Criminal Code (abuse of official powers that has caused severe consequences due to negligence). This relates to the same criminal case in which charges were filed against Tovmasyan's protégé, Norayr Panosyan.

Simultaneously, a protest action was taking place in the yard of the Constitutional Court, attended by political figures and lawyers.

It is also worth mentioning that yesterday, on December 26, the President of Armenia, Armen Sarkissian, signed a package of laws amending the constitutional law on the Constitutional Court and adding to the law on ensuring the activities of officials and their social guarantees, concerning the early retirement of Constitutional Court judges. Immediately after this, SIS investigators went to the Constitutional Court, although it remains unclear for what purpose.

Later, it was reported that the SIS has further amended the charges against Tovmasyan's protégé, Norayr Panosyan, and with this justification, has once again approached the court to seek Panosyan's re-arrest.