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Armenia’s judicial system is in “deep crisis”, which has strong political overtones, Taguhi Tovmasyan, an MP from the opposition With Honor faction and head of the parliament’s Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, said in a message addressed to European ambassadors and the Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe.

"Recently, our country has repeatedly recorded blatant encroachments on the judiciary by the authorities, including cases of disciplinary proceedings and criminal prosecution against unwanted judges. According to experts, the process of the illegal arrest of judge Boris Bakhshiyan has now started," she said in her address on Saturday.

Earlier on 2 February, Armenia’s Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) approved a request of Prosecutor-General Artur Davtyan to allow the law enforcement authorities to prosecute and arrest Bakhshiyan, a judge of the Syunik Court of General Jurisdiction. The decision came days after Bakhshiyan ruled to release jailed opposition figure and war veteran Ashot Minasyan on bail.

Tovmasyan highlighted that there is no convention or international law that would allow judges to be prosecuted for their rulings.

She cited Article 3 of Armenia’s Constitution, which says: “The respect for and protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people are the duty of the public authorities. The inalienable dignity of the human being constitutes the integral basis of his or her rights and freedoms.”

"Such steps have nothing to do with the establishment of democratic institutions, they indicate political problems and a deep crisis in the country.

“Assessing the situation and predicting the possible consequences for our state, as well as being guided by our country’s commitments to international organizations for the observance of democratic principles and human rights, I expect you to give a fair response and make a proper and objective assessment of the situation," Tovmasyan noted.