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NEW ACADEMY FOR JUDGES, PROSECUTORS OPENED IN ARMENIA
Legal Monitor Worldwide
March 19, 2014 Wednesday
Armenian Justice Minister Hrair Tovmasyan hopes that the newly
opened Justice Academy will manage "to deepen the sense of justice"
among judges and prosecutors and prepare qualified and skilful
professionals. "The times when we blamed our mistakes, omissions in
this field on the lack of time and experience are over. We should
reach the rational stage, and that rational stage means having a
really full-fledged judicial authority, a judicial authority under
which when you say a judge or a court there is immediately a sense of
justice, fairness, confidence, impartiality, certainty. We, indeed,
should be able to reach the point where the judge is a wise and
virtuous man. This academy should contribute to it," Tovmasyan told
media during the Tuesday opening of the academy situated in Yerevan's
Davidashen community.
The Academy building on an area of 2,700 square meters was built at
the expense of World Bank loan funds. The construction project cost
830 million drams (about $2 million). This educational institution
was built as part of the 2012-2016 Legal and Judicial Reform Strategy
Program. The Academy's Board of Directors includes the Minister of
Justice, three judges and three prosecutors, it has operated since
January 1, but the official opening ceremony, which was also attended
by President Serzh Sargsyan, took place only on March 18.
"We will conduct professional training of persons included in the list
of judges and prosecutors, as a result of which these people will get
an opportunity to occupy positions of judges or prosecutors. The other
sphere of our activities is annual retraining for all acting judges
and prosecutors," said Academy Rector Ruben Melikyan, who previously
served as deputy minister of justice.
There is an ambiguous attitude in Armenia towards the judiciary and
the justice system in general. Late last year a report by Ombudsman
Karen Andreasyan caused a real stir among justice system officials.
The Office of the Ombudsman, in particular, argued that in passing
verdicts the Court of Cassation and the Justice Council apply double
standards, which sometimes is accompanied with violations of the
requirements of the law.
The authors of the report also argued that there is a 'kickback price
list' in the Armenian judicial, which is usually 10 percent of the
lawsuit value. The Ombudsman's report also referred to pressures put on
judges and raised the issue of lack of independence of the judiciary.
Armenian human rights activists believe that additional professional
training will not be superfluous for judges and prosecutors. But,
at the same time, they doubt it will help them get rid of pressures
from the government in certain cases and become more independent.
Human rights activist Mikael Danielyan says that opening academies
for "deepening justice" is not enough. What is needed to change
the situation, according to the chairman of the Armenian Helsinki
Association, is demonstrating political will.
"The government should reconsider its approach to justice. The courts
must become independent, the government must not interfere with the
course of justice at all. But our government, unfortunately, does,
and judges become corrupt. Besides financial relations there is also
so-called 'telephone relationship' that the authorities reserve
for themselves. The prosecutor's office works in the same manner
and can influence the courts, and at the same time it depends on the
government," says Danielyan. "The government should be able to change
from within and not just open academies and train fair and impartial
judges and prosecutors there. This is ridiculous. The impression is
that the minister of justice does not live in Armenia."© 2014 Legal
Monitor Worldwide.
From: Baghdasarian
Legal Monitor Worldwide
March 19, 2014 Wednesday
Armenian Justice Minister Hrair Tovmasyan hopes that the newly
opened Justice Academy will manage "to deepen the sense of justice"
among judges and prosecutors and prepare qualified and skilful
professionals. "The times when we blamed our mistakes, omissions in
this field on the lack of time and experience are over. We should
reach the rational stage, and that rational stage means having a
really full-fledged judicial authority, a judicial authority under
which when you say a judge or a court there is immediately a sense of
justice, fairness, confidence, impartiality, certainty. We, indeed,
should be able to reach the point where the judge is a wise and
virtuous man. This academy should contribute to it," Tovmasyan told
media during the Tuesday opening of the academy situated in Yerevan's
Davidashen community.
The Academy building on an area of 2,700 square meters was built at
the expense of World Bank loan funds. The construction project cost
830 million drams (about $2 million). This educational institution
was built as part of the 2012-2016 Legal and Judicial Reform Strategy
Program. The Academy's Board of Directors includes the Minister of
Justice, three judges and three prosecutors, it has operated since
January 1, but the official opening ceremony, which was also attended
by President Serzh Sargsyan, took place only on March 18.
"We will conduct professional training of persons included in the list
of judges and prosecutors, as a result of which these people will get
an opportunity to occupy positions of judges or prosecutors. The other
sphere of our activities is annual retraining for all acting judges
and prosecutors," said Academy Rector Ruben Melikyan, who previously
served as deputy minister of justice.
There is an ambiguous attitude in Armenia towards the judiciary and
the justice system in general. Late last year a report by Ombudsman
Karen Andreasyan caused a real stir among justice system officials.
The Office of the Ombudsman, in particular, argued that in passing
verdicts the Court of Cassation and the Justice Council apply double
standards, which sometimes is accompanied with violations of the
requirements of the law.
The authors of the report also argued that there is a 'kickback price
list' in the Armenian judicial, which is usually 10 percent of the
lawsuit value. The Ombudsman's report also referred to pressures put on
judges and raised the issue of lack of independence of the judiciary.
Armenian human rights activists believe that additional professional
training will not be superfluous for judges and prosecutors. But,
at the same time, they doubt it will help them get rid of pressures
from the government in certain cases and become more independent.
Human rights activist Mikael Danielyan says that opening academies
for "deepening justice" is not enough. What is needed to change
the situation, according to the chairman of the Armenian Helsinki
Association, is demonstrating political will.
"The government should reconsider its approach to justice. The courts
must become independent, the government must not interfere with the
course of justice at all. But our government, unfortunately, does,
and judges become corrupt. Besides financial relations there is also
so-called 'telephone relationship' that the authorities reserve
for themselves. The prosecutor's office works in the same manner
and can influence the courts, and at the same time it depends on the
government," says Danielyan. "The government should be able to change
from within and not just open academies and train fair and impartial
judges and prosecutors there. This is ridiculous. The impression is
that the minister of justice does not live in Armenia."© 2014 Legal
Monitor Worldwide.
From: Baghdasarian