Epress.am News from Armenia
“Two months ago I was one of you and 6 years later, I’m preparing to be one of you. I have been an attorney and I think I’ve done the most honorable work, and I very much want to return to my work. Only I would want the situation in the court system to be different,” said Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Karen Andreasyan today at a conference on the Defender’s role in the justice system.
First, he said he will speak as a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, as an attorney, while in the second half of his speech, he will speak as a Human Rights Defender, clarifying that he will avoid expressing his personal opinion and point of views on the justice system.
“In my personal opinion, we all have two problems in Armenia — that of [daily] bread and justice. I think that if these two basic and vital problems get solved, people in Armenia could see themselves as satisfied, content. All other human rights derive or arise from the right to a fair trial,” he said.
According to him, no one can be happy or proud by criticizing a judge or attacking a judge’s high rank. “The judge’s high calling cannot be devalued in the eyes of the public.”
“Worthy of humility is he who judges fairly and implements justice even under the conditions of today’s judicial system. Fair judges today are worthy of being called a hero: we should recognize, praise and together admire their work because they are doing truly heroic work,” he said.
After praising fair judges, Andreasyan turned his attention to unjust, unfair judges.
“Unjust judges, I’m sure, we all consider to be enemies of the public; they are the most harmful to us. I am sure that it is because of unfair judges that there is emigration and distrust in our society.”
Andreasyan suggested people should struggle, fight against such judges.
“By saying struggle, I don’t mean subject them to a systematic campaign, targeting them with sermons or attacks. I mean a struggle within the boundaries of law, through disciplinary responsibility,” he stressed.