A group of activists on Friday gathered outside the Armenian National Assembly to protest against the possible election of Gagik Jhangiryan and Armen Khachaturyan nominated by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s My Step bloc as new members of the Supreme Judicial Council, stating the PM thus aims to “seize” the judicial power.
Protesters underline that new threats may emerge every day that Nikol Pashinyan stays in power, citing his latest remarks that Shushi was an “Azerbaijani town” before its liberation in 1990s.
They accused the premier of “betraying” the Armenian people and “pouring water on Azerbaijan’s mill”.
"We once again urge the people not to believe a word of this scoundrel. Nikol Pashinyan is a state traitor, who is clinging to power because he is afraid to be held to account for his crimes,” one of the protesters said via a megaphone.
Continuing his speech, he stated that today Nikol Pashinyan wants to commit another illegality.
"Today, his goal is to seize the judiciary, which has independence and still continues to function for the benefit of the people and the state. Nikol Pashinyan repeatedly referred to the former officials, calling them “thieves”. Today Nikol Pashinyan's team has nominated the most corrupt former prosecutor as a Supreme Judicial Council member in an effort to exert pressure on the courts. We have gathered here to say that we will not tolerate it," the protester said.