MP says legal system collapses under political pressure

PanARMENIAN.Net - Elinar Vardanyan, a member of the opposition Hayastan faction in parliament, criticized Armenia’s law enforcement and judiciary, saying most have become obedient tools of the government. She spoke outside the Avan branch of the General Jurisdiction Criminal Court, where a hearing was held on the prosecution's motion to arrest MP Artur Sargsyan.

Referring to the July 8 incident in parliament, Vardanyan noted that “the prosecutor silently watched” the altercation and pointed out it was the same official who had filed charges in the Samvel Karapetyan case, according to Panorama.am .

She accused Civil Contract party MPs of instigating the scuffle and said the prosecutor only acts when ordered to pursue politically motivated cases. “When events unfold right in front of his eyes, he sees nothing, hears nothing. This is our legal system,” she said.

According to Vardanyan, when legal professionals perform their duties with such disregard, the entire justice system collapses.

She dismissed terrorism-related charges as absurd: “What they present as planning acts of terror is nothing more than the kind of talk you hear in taxis, cafés, and courtyards.” In her view, the charges in the case of Archbishop Bagrat are based merely on finding “colorful firecrackers and shoe nails.”

On June 25, law enforcement launched searches targeting supporters of the Sacred Struggle movement. Investigators allege its leaders plotted terrorist acts and an attempt to seize power. Archbishop Bagrat was later arrested for two months, along with 14 others.