Armenian PM: External forces influence court decisions as part of hybrid war

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed the challenges facing the country’s judiciary and the broader standards of justice during a panel discussion at the Armenian Democracy Forum.

“I always talk about standards, standards in the economy, on construction sites, etc., but one of the most important standards is the standard of justice, which should make justice as predictable as possible and minimally used for various political interests,” Pashinyan said, according to Caliber.Az.

The Prime Minister reflected on the post-2018 revolution period, emphasising the government’s commitment to judicial independence. “I say outright that when, after the 2018 revolution, we declared that from now on the government would have no influence on the judiciary, both in Armenia and beyond, many began to rub their hands together, saying, ‘How good it is that the government has 'nothing to do’ with the judiciary, which means we will ‘have something to do’ with the judiciary,’” he noted.

Pashinyan warned that numerous judicial decisions had been influenced by specific circles, including actors outside Armenia. “And I say: numerous (judicial) decisions were dictated by specific circles, including those outside Armenia. And this is one of the methods of hybrid warfare (against Armenia),” he added, stressing the ongoing external pressures faced by the Armenian legal system.

By Tamilla Hasanova