Venice Commission sees a risk of interreference with the mandates of the Constitutional court judges in Armenia

Panorama, Armenia

“Path of Law NGO” released on Monday excerpts from the summery report of the 119th Plenary session of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe held in June 21 22 which contains references to the situation around the judges of Armenia’s Constitutional Court among other things.

The document that summarizes the plenary session discussion about Armenia notes that the recently elected judge of the Constitutional Court Vahe Grigoryan had questioned the legitimacy of 7 out of 9 judges of the Court who had been elected prior to the entry into force of the 2015 constitutional amendments.

The Commission, specifically, recalled judge Vahe Grigoryan’s argument that according to the previous text of the Constitutional the judges in question had been elected as members of the Constitutional Court. Article 213 of the revised Constitution, however, provided clearly and unambiguously that he Chairman and members of the Constitutional Court appointed prior to the entry into force of amendments shall continue to serve until the end of the term of office prescribed by the Constitution of 2005.

“It was disturbing that this statement by the judge had been applauded in parliament and there might be a risk of interreference with the mandates of the sitting judges,” the document released by the Commission says.


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Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS