Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

On December 27, 2024, the presentation of the report “Justice with open eyes” took place. 

In recent years, the measures taken in the context of the judicial and legal reforms have not been sufficient to prevent the violations of the cases of the right to public trial within reasonable time. Despite the periodic and radical changes in the judicial system, the citizens encounter delayed justice, particularly, unjustified delays of court sessions, inefficient and long-term investigation of cases, non-enforcement of court decisions, non-publication of final judicial acts, and other interrelated problems. 

The report presents the above-mentioned problems and other problems recorded in the judicial system and recommends changes to address them. 

Opening remarks at the presentation of the report were given by

🔘 Artur Sakunts, the chairman of HCAV 

🔘 Karen Tumanyan, member of the Supreme Judicial Council of the Republic of Armenia

🔘 Liana Tovmasyan, advisor to the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia

🔘 Tatevik Khachatryan, senior program manager, Democracy Development Foundation 

At the presentation, Mariam Antonyan, coordinator of the department of legal analyses and initiatives of HCAV, and Anahit Ghazaryan, a specialist in the department, presented the methodology for monitoring court hearings conducted for the report and the results of monitoring the right to a public trial within reasonable time. 

The main goals of the monitoring of court hearings implemented by HCAV were:

• Ensuring transparency of the judicial system
• Building trust in the judicial system
• Public oversight
• Ensuring the right to a fair trial
• Implementing reforms

The monitoring was conducted in 5 regions and Yerevan in two phases, from January to June 2023, 1249 court sessions were monitored in the courts of first instances (448 court sessions in civil cases, 465 court sessions in criminal cases, 336 court sessions in administrative cases). From December 2023 to April 2024, 600 court sessions were monitored in the appellate courts, (327 court sessions in criminal cases, 25 sessions in civil cases and 248 court sessions in administrative cases). 

The basis of the monitoring conducted by the Organization was the following principles:

• Professionalism
• Objectivity
• impartiality
• non-interference

The report will soon be published.