Ruben Melikyan: “Based on criminal law, Pashinyan’s call is overthrow of constitutional order”

The Path of Law Human Rights NGO has issued the following statement:

“Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has instructed citizens of the Republic of Armenia to block the entrances to and exits from all Armenian courts. This is disrupting the activities of courts as a constitutional institution protecting human rights and settling disputes on the basis of law. Thus, this de facto terminates the activities under Articles 1, 3 and 4 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. Based on criminal law, this is overthrow of constitutional order.

We call on:

• the President of the Republic of Armenia to observe maintenance of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia within the scope of his function, take measures to prohibit disruption of operation of the Judicial Power, as well as inform the ambassadors of the partnering states of the Republic of Armenia and international organizations in the Republic of Armenia and convey a message about that.
• the institutions of the political system and civil society of the Republic of Armenia to give an evaluation that will be adequate to the situation.
• diplomatic representations of foreign states accredited to the Republic of Armenia and international organizations to strictly condemn the attempt of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia to factually terminate fulfillment of the international commitments assumed by the Republic of Armenia in the spheres of democracy and human rights protection.”