How Nikol Pashinyan Deceived the Armenian People: Episode 4

Nikol Pashinyan deceived the Armenian people when he promised to establish a fair and independent judicial system and ensure a balance among the branches of power. During his opening remarks at a press conference on May 8, 2019, the Prime Minister presented “100 Facts About New Armenia.” Fact 74 stated:

“As a result of the Armenian government’s consistent efforts, there are no privileged persons before the law in the Republic of Armenia. Citizens’ political and civil rights are protected and fully applicable. The separation of judicial and executive powers has been consistently ensured. The government has been guided by the principle of judicial independence, which excludes any mechanism or manifestation of top-down instructions.”

However, just eleven days later, on May 19, 2019, Pashinyan publicly called on citizens to block court buildings - under the pretext of establishing a fair judicial system. This move amounted to direct government interference in the judiciary’s work.

By June 5, 2019, Pashinyan effectively admitted to undermining the constitutional order, asking:

“Is there any judge in Armenia today who dares not to fulfill the prime minister’s instructions?”

A striking example of pressure on the judiciary came with the publication of wiretapped phone conversations between Artur Vanetsyan, then head of the National Security Service; Sasun Khachatryan, then head of the Special Investigation Service; and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan himself. In one of the recordings, Vanetsyan tells Khachatryan that, referring to the arrest of Robert Kocharyan, he told the judge: “Whether you want to or not, you must adopt the verdict on the arrest.”

Such actions by Pashinyan and his subordinates are defined under Armenian law as an overthrow of the constitutional order —something the Public Tribunal has previously addressed.