Epress.am News from Armenia
Judges who have violated the laws of Azerbaijan and the norms of international law were included in June 2014 in a "black list" created by the Center to Resist Repression at the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD). IPD Director Leyla Yunus is not allowed out of the country and is being persecuted, and, along with journalist Rauf Mirkadirov, is accused of spying for Armenia.
The list of Armenian judges who serve the ruling authorities' interests was published two years ago by the Yerevan-based Helsinki Association for Human Rights.
The two countries' human rights activists' arguments are the same: they indicate the judiciary's dependence on the executive branch of government, politically motivated sentences on trumped-up criminal charges are made against dissident citizens, and there have been numerous gross procedural violations in several criminal cases in recent years. Activists in both countries mention the presence of political prisoners.
Armenian human rights activists, as a precautionary measure, earlier suggested to the US Embassy in Yerevan not to grant US entry visas to criminal judges. Why the US? Helsinki Association for Human Rights Chair Mikael Danielyan explained it as follows: Considering the fact that the US made great contributions to reform of Armenia's judicial system, "a question arises: do [these funds] serve their purpose?"
Those in Azerbaijan propose "to prohibi the judges mentioned below from visiting the US or the countries of the EU, to freeze their bank accounts in the EU and the US, as well as apply all necessary means to prevent the rampant lawlessness in authoritarian Azerbaijan."
List of Azerbaijani Judges
Elchin Kazymov – Lankaran District Court judge, who on January 13, 2014, issued an illegal and unjustified ruling against Yadigar Sadigov, advisor to the Musavat Party leader.
Rashid Huseynov – Sheki Court on Grave Crimes judge, who on March 17, 2014, issued an illegal and unjustified ruling against journalist Tofiq Yaqublu and chair of the ReAl movement Ilgar Mammadov.
Javid Huseynov – Baku Court on Grave Crimes judge, who on May 6, 2014, issued an illegal and unjustified ruling against 8 members of the NIDA movement.
Novruz Kerimov – Baku Court on Grave Crimes judge, who on May 15, 2014, issued an illegal and unjustified ruling against journalists, human rights activist Parviz Hashimli.
Rauf Aliyev – Baku Court on Grave Crimes judge, who on May 26, 2014, issued an illegal and unjustified ruling against heads of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre Anar Mammadli and Bashir Suleimanly.
Azer Orujov – Baku Court on Grave Crimes judge, who on September 27, 2013, issued an illegal and unjustified ruling against human rights activists, Tolyshi Sado ("The Voice of Talysh") newspaper editor Hilal Mammadov.
List of Armenian Judges
Mesrop Makyan – Kotayk District Court of First Instance judge
Suren Kostanyan – Court of First Instance of Shengavit Community of Yerevan judge
Artur Mkrtchyan – Court of First Instance of Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun Communities of Yerevan
… as well as RA Criminal Court of Appeal judges Karen Ghazaryan, Grisha Melik-Sargsyan, Henrik Adamyan, Gagik Avetisyan, Eva Darbinyan, and Sergei Chichoyan.
Judges Artur Mkrtchyan, Gagik Avetisyan, Eva Darbinyan, and Sergey Chichoyan were involved in the case of Vram Baghdasaryan, who on November 11, 2011, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The Helsinki Association for Human Rights reports that, based on the criminal case, Baghdasaryan did not commit murder.
The other judges were involved in the case of Avetik Hovhannisyan, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of robbery. Human rights groups say that Kostanyan ignored and distorted witness testimonies that proved Hovhannisyan's alibi. Witnesses said they saw him at home for the entire day.
Judge Mesrop Makyan was involved in the case of Khachik Hovsepyan, who is accused of purchasing, possessing, and using drugs. The Helsinki Association for Human Rights notes that the charges are based solely on the defendants' self-incriminating testimonies. Transcripts of telephone conversations that prove Hovsepyan's innocence were ignored.