Former Armenian top court member goes on hunger strike, demands Pashinyan’s resignation

Panorama, Armenia
Nov 24 2020

Former member of Armenia’s Constitutional Court Kim Balayan on Tuesday announced a hunger strike demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's resignation.

Balayan calls for criminal proceedings against the premier for “overthrowing the constitutional order” by signing the Artsakh deal.

"I'm not sure if I can hold out long, but I'm ready to die here for justice just like our brave soldiers fell defending the homeland. I will continue my hunger strike until Nikol Pashinyan's resignation," Kim Balayan told reporters.

He has joined ARF member Gegham Manukyan and Garik Avetisyan who have gone on an indefinite hunger strike outside the Armenian government since Monday.

"I think all issues should be resolved in a manner prescribed by law. Nikol Pashinyan, violating the constitutional order, in fact signed an international agreement, but it was not defined by procedures. First, the agreement had to be brought to the Constitutional Court, the court had to decide that the agreement did not contradict the Constitution of Armenia. Afterwards, the document had to be discussed and ratified by the National Assembly. He violated that order, which amounts to an overthrow of the constitutional order. The prosecutor general and the head of the Special Investigative Service must initiate a criminal case and prosecute him for overthrowing the constitutional order,” Balayan stated.