Pashinyan suggests introducing jury system in Armenian judiciary

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said authorities must discuss the potential introduction of the jury system in Armenia’s judiciary.

He said the discussions must take place in the context of the new Constitution. 

“Sometimes I think the perception and reality about the gap between fairness and justice could be linked with the issue that we, through our structures, have significantly distanced our judiciary from the people, thus cutting the organic connection between the people and the judicial system,” Pashinyan said in parliament.

“In the context of the adoption of the new, upcoming Constitution, we must seriously discuss the possibility of introducing the institute of jury,” Pashinyan said. He said he was aware of the arguments against the jury system in a small country where “everyone knows one another”, but noted that the same could be said in case of judges, investigators, prosecutors and others. 

Pashinyan said that the problems in the judiciary and people’s perception sometimes leave the impression as if "some other people have come from elsewhere and are committing injustice."

“That’s not the case, these people are people from our kindergartens, our schools, universities, our neighborhoods, people living next to us. If we have entrusted them with justice and fairness, as investigators, judges or prosecutors, we can also entrust others with jury duty, and in that case, justice, whatever it may be, will not be detached from the people, justice will be as just as the people, and the people is fairer that any prime minister, any minister, lawmaker, judge, prosecutor or police officers,” Pashinyan said.