Chairman of Armenian constitutional court charged with abuse of power
27.12.2019,
18:31
Hrayr Tovmasyan, the chairman of Armenia’s Constitutional Court, was formally charged today with abuse of power, Marina Ohanjanyan, spokeswoman for the Special Investigation Service, told Novosti-Armenia news agency.
YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. Hrayr Tovmasyan, the chairman of Armenia’s Constitutional Court, was formally charged today with abuse of power, Marina Ohanjanyan, spokeswoman for the Special Investigation Service, told Novosti-Armenia news agency.
The day before, the Special Investigation Service officers visited the Constitutional Court. The Special Investigation Service declined to tell the news agency what was the reason behind the visit.
Tovmasyan’s lawyer Amram Makinyan told the news agency that Tovmasyan was summoned for interrogation at the Special Investigation Service on December 27.
"Hrayr Tovmasyan was charged with abuse of power," said Ohanjanyan, adding that there is no decision to apply a preventive measure against him yet.
On October 4, Armenian MPs approved a resolution, initiated by the ruling My Step faction to deprive Hrayr Tovmasyan of the powers of the chairman of the Constitutional Court. The faction then asked the Constitutional Court to approve it. However, the Constitutional Court refused to do so.
On October 17, the Special Investigation Service launched a criminal case on charges of usurpation of power on the basis of a statement, sent by MP Arman Babajanyan to the Prosecutor General.
Babajanyan claimed that Tovmasyan was elected a judge of the Constitutional Court in violation of the law. On November 19, the Investigative Committee said to have collected sufficient evidence that Tovmasyan abused his powers when he served as justice minister from 2010-2014.
Hrayr Tovmasyan served as Minister of Justice from 2010 to 2014. In 2018 spring he was elected chairman of the Constitutional Court. -0-
The day before, the Special Investigation Service officers visited the Constitutional Court. The Special Investigation Service declined to tell the news agency what was the reason behind the visit.
Tovmasyan’s lawyer Amram Makinyan told the news agency that Tovmasyan was summoned for interrogation at the Special Investigation Service on December 27.
"Hrayr Tovmasyan was charged with abuse of power," said Ohanjanyan, adding that there is no decision to apply a preventive measure against him yet.
On October 4, Armenian MPs approved a resolution, initiated by the ruling My Step faction to deprive Hrayr Tovmasyan of the powers of the chairman of the Constitutional Court. The faction then asked the Constitutional Court to approve it. However, the Constitutional Court refused to do so.
On October 17, the Special Investigation Service launched a criminal case on charges of usurpation of power on the basis of a statement, sent by MP Arman Babajanyan to the Prosecutor General.
Babajanyan claimed that Tovmasyan was elected a judge of the Constitutional Court in violation of the law. On November 19, the Investigative Committee said to have collected sufficient evidence that Tovmasyan abused his powers when he served as justice minister from 2010-2014.
Hrayr Tovmasyan served as Minister of Justice from 2010 to 2014. In 2018 spring he was elected chairman of the Constitutional Court. -0-
