Pashinyan urges demonstrators to restore access to Armenian courtsMay 20, 2019 - 13:38 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has asked demonstrators to open entrance to the country's courts. Pashinyan’s earlier call for blocking the court entrances came after a judge ordered the release of Second Armenian President Robert Kocharyan from prison as an investigation into a criminal case over an 11-year crackdown continues in the country. He said the campaign "had served its purpose as the process of creating an independent judicial system in Armenia has started and is no longer reversible." In a live address on Monday, May 20, the PM said political changes have taken place in Armenia that have helped create legitimate legislative and executive powers, “but the judicial system continues to be non-legitimate.” Pashinyan said that it (the judicial system - Ed.) is a threat to the Armenian people. According to the head of the government, all the judges from now on must be subjected to vetting, which means that people must have access to information about the political ties they have, their property, former activity, individual and professional characteristics He said all the judges who handed out verdicts disputed in the European Court of Human Rights, must resign or be fired. Judges “who know that they cannot work unbiased and objective” must resign too, he said. Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Partner news | Ucom General Director gives lecture at French University in Armenia The General Director of Ucom Ralph Yirikian delivered a lecture at the French University of Armenia. Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. |