Lawyer posts video from Armenian top court head’s home being searched by SIS

Panorama, Armenia
Jan 24 2020

Amram Makinyan, one of the lawyers of Constitutional Court Chairman Hrayr Tovmasyan, has posted a video on Facebook from the apartment of the top court head where the Special Investigative Service (SIS) is conducting a search.

The video shows a member of Tovmasyan's defense team, Mihran Poghosyan requesting the investigator to allow him to get familiarized with the court decision allowing the search, but the latter opposes the lawyer’s demand.

“In response to the SIS clarification that I am spreading disinformation,” he wrote.

Earlier on Friday SIS refuted as ‘obvious disinformation” the lawyer’s claims alleging Hrayr Tovmasyan and his defense team were not allowed to familiarize themselves with the search ruling.

Law-enforcement authorities charged Tovmasyan with an abuse of power on 27 December 2019. Tovmasyan denied any wrongdoing, adding the charges are part of a “political process” aimed at forcing him to step down. 

Video at