ArmInfo.Acting head of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) Gagik Jhangiryan cannot participate in the consideration of disciplinary proceedings against Ruben  Vardazaryan, including in terms of making a decision. Lawyer Aram  Vardevanyan, a MP from the "Armenia" opposition faction, stated this  referring to the scandalous recording of the conversation between  Jhangiryan and the dismissed head of the Supreme Judicial Council  Ruben Vardazaryan, which was released yesterday.

According to him, from a legal point of view, there are several  indisputable starting points for the situation around the  SJC-Jhangiryan.

Vardevanyan added that having a number of subjective observations,  however, he will confine himself to presenting objective ones.

"Firstly, a criminal case should be initiated against Gagik  Jhangiryan.  Secondly, Gagik Jhangiryan cannot participate in the  consideration of disciplinary proceedings against Ruben Vardazaryan,  including in terms of making a decision. Given the first  circumstance, Jhangiryan's powers must inevitably be suspended, it  will apply to all proceedings.  And thirdly, irreparable damage has  been done to the reputation of the judiciary, especially the SJC, and  the legitimacy of the 2021 elections," Vardevanyan concluded.  It  should be noted that on June 20, the temporarily dismissed Chairman  of the Supreme Judicial Council Ruben Vardazaryan presented a  scandalous recording of a conversation with Acting Chairman of the  Supreme Judicial Council Gagik Jhangiryan and a member of the Supreme  Judicial Council Stepan Mikayelyan, which took place on February 20,  2021. In this conversation, Jhangiryan persuades Vardazaryan to leave  his post, while asking him to do it "for good, quietly and  peacefully." He advises to think about the future of children, family  and assures that if he leaves, then all criminal cases initiated  against him will be terminated. "I guarantee you this as long as I'm  alive," according to the recording Jhangiryan said.  

After the recording was published, the Prosecutor General's Office  announced that the recording of the conversation between Gagik  Jhangiryan, member of the SJC Stepan Mikayelyan, and Ruben  Vardazaryan, had been sent to the Investigative Committee for study.  

And the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) reported that the decision on  the case against Vardazaryan would be made public on June 23.  It  should be reminded that Gagik Jhangiryan was appointed Acting  Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) at a closed meeting on  April 15, 2021. Prior to this, Vardazaryan's powers were suspended,  however, he never officially resigned.