Criminal Proceedings to Start Against Judge Boris Bakhshiyan

The Supreme Judicial Council has announced via its Facebook page: “On January 31 of this year, the Chief Prosecutor of Armenia presented two requests to the Council regarding the initiation of criminal proceedings against Judge Boris Bakhshiyan of the Syunik Regional Court and for his detention. The Council unanimously decided to approve both requests. The decisions will be published today.”

It is worth noting that attorney Erik Aleksanyan had earlier disclosed: “A short while ago, the Union of Judges of Armenia issued a statement that the Prosecutor's Office and the National Security Service have begun the process of initiating criminal proceedings against Judge Boris Bakhshiyan, which involves the lifting of his immunity.” Judge Bakhshiyan is currently handling the criminal cases of Kapan Mayor Manvel Paramazyan, Ashot Miansyan, and Goris Deputy Mayors Menua Hovsepyan and Irina Yolyan.

It is clear that this process against Judge Bakhshiyan effectively began only after he released Manvel Paramazyan, Menua Hovsepyan, and Ashot Miansyan on bail. As such, it is evident that the ongoing process against him cannot be justified under any legal rationale.

The NSS and the Prosecutor’s Office, through their actions, are merely undermining the judiciary and dismantling the entire justice system. It is understandable that this precedent is an attempt to instill a climate of fear among judges, so they won’t dare make unbiased decisions in criminal cases that concern the political authority, but rather execute the will of the powers that be, keeping everyone behind bars indiscriminately.

As an attorney, I express my support for Judge Bakhshiyan and am ready to take on his defense if necessary. I urge all my attorney colleagues to speak out and join my statement, for each of us may soon lose our last hope for an independent judiciary at this rapid pace.”