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The acting head of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) overseeing Armenian courts, Gagik Jhangiryan, cannot stay in office, MP Aram Vardevanyan of the opposition Hayastan bloc told reporters before an opposition rally in Yerevan on Monday evening.

His comments came after suspended SJC head Ruben Vardazaryan released a secretly recorded audio of his conversation with Jhangiryan, who can be heard warning the official to resign or face criminal charges.

Vardazaryan was suspended as SJC chairman and charged with obstruction of justice in April 2021. Subsequently, Jhangiryan took over the SJC pending the outcome of the criminal case.

The Supreme Judicial Council downplayed the audio recording in a statement, refusing to comment on the “private conversation recorded without Jhangiryan’s knowledge.”

Vardevanyan called for bringing the judicial watchdog head to account for “abuse of office”.

“He must be immediately dismissed and prosecuted based on his self-incriminating statements,” the lawmaker said, adding his resignation would reduce the risk of interference into criminal investigations.