Parliament speaker outlines goals of transitional justice
24.05.2019,
15:53
Armenian Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan outlined today the goals of transitional justice when speaking at National Assembly hearings convened to look into the toolkit used for introduction of transitional justice.
YEREVAN, May 24 /ARKA/. Armenian Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan outlined today the goals of transitional justice when speaking at National Assembly hearings convened to look into the toolkit used for introduction of transitional justice.
“The goal of introduction of transitional justice is to create an independent judiciary, not to exacerbate problems,” he said.
Mirzoyan said first of all, in order to avoid discrepancies, it is necessary to learn what transitional justice is, what its tools are, how much Armenia needs it at this stage and to understand also the goals of the transitional justice and look also into the relating international experience.
"It is necessary to understand whether the judicial system represents the citizens of Armenia or not," he said. At the same time, the speaker pointed out the phenomena, which are not elements of transitional justice.
He said transitional justice does not mean creation of military tribunals or emergency courts, when different people can get together and make decisions. In his words, transitional justice must legally support, purify, improve and strengthen the existing judicial system. This is an important message that we must remember,” he said.
On May 19 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on his supporters to block the court buildings across the country after announcing sweeping judiciary reforms. "The time has come for a surgical intervention" with all judges to be subjected to a thorough vetting during a "transitional" period,’ he told a televised cabinet meeting. ‘I want to state that the purpose of that move was to fix the demand of the people to have a truly independent judicial system and I state that the government and the people of Armenia are united in this," he said.
The Prime Minister said that the government is starting concrete steps towards building a free judicial system. He said another goal of the move was to show the public outrage caused by the injustice of the judicial system.
"Now it has become obvious to all that a truly independent judicial system cannot exist in Armenia without people's power. Everyone saw that illegal interventions in judicial processes will face tough popular opposition."
Pashinyan’s appeal to block the courthouses came a day after a court in Yerevan ordered the release of ex-president Robert Kocharyan from pre-trial detention. -0-
“The goal of introduction of transitional justice is to create an independent judiciary, not to exacerbate problems,” he said.
Mirzoyan said first of all, in order to avoid discrepancies, it is necessary to learn what transitional justice is, what its tools are, how much Armenia needs it at this stage and to understand also the goals of the transitional justice and look also into the relating international experience.
"It is necessary to understand whether the judicial system represents the citizens of Armenia or not," he said. At the same time, the speaker pointed out the phenomena, which are not elements of transitional justice.
He said transitional justice does not mean creation of military tribunals or emergency courts, when different people can get together and make decisions. In his words, transitional justice must legally support, purify, improve and strengthen the existing judicial system. This is an important message that we must remember,” he said.
On May 19 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on his supporters to block the court buildings across the country after announcing sweeping judiciary reforms. "The time has come for a surgical intervention" with all judges to be subjected to a thorough vetting during a "transitional" period,’ he told a televised cabinet meeting. ‘I want to state that the purpose of that move was to fix the demand of the people to have a truly independent judicial system and I state that the government and the people of Armenia are united in this," he said.
The Prime Minister said that the government is starting concrete steps towards building a free judicial system. He said another goal of the move was to show the public outrage caused by the injustice of the judicial system.
"Now it has become obvious to all that a truly independent judicial system cannot exist in Armenia without people's power. Everyone saw that illegal interventions in judicial processes will face tough popular opposition."
Pashinyan’s appeal to block the courthouses came a day after a court in Yerevan ordered the release of ex-president Robert Kocharyan from pre-trial detention. -0-
