“This is an irresponsible statement and an obvious lie. Our advocates should feel responsible when making use of the freedom of speech. I have been elected by advocates and I am accountable to them. We are ready to engage in any discussion with our partners”, referring to Vahe Grigoryan’s accusations as if the Chamber of Advocates of Armenia is a tool in hands of the authorities, said Chamber of Advocates Chairman Ara Zohrabyan at the meeting with Armenian and foreign advocates.
“We have 1900 advocates in the Chamber of Advocates. It is natural that 35 or more advocates will have different opinions”, he noted.
Ara Zohrabyan pointed out the reasons for disagreement: “First of all, there are some contradictions with the former Chairman of the Chamber of Advocates Ruben Sahakyan. The reason is that we have suffered a financial loss of 300,000 US dollars in the Chamber. The criminal case is now in court”.
The other issue, according to Ara Zohrabyan, is the ideological contradictions of a group of advocates. “The majority of advocates and I believe that the advocate’s Code of Ethics applies to public life as well. And some of the advocates do not think so and say that they can make insulting statements in public speeches”.
As to Vahe Grigoryan’s remark that discriminatory disciplinary proceedings are instituted against advocates dealing with political criminal cases by the Chamber of Advocates, Ara Zohrabyan stressed: “Judicial sanction is a mandatory basis for initiating disciplinary proceedings against an advocate. We have cases when advocates simply leave the courtroom, accordingly, the judge applies a sanction and sends it to the Board of the Chamber of Advocates. We believe that advocates have no right to leave the courtroom without the judge’s permission”.
Luiza SUKIASYAN
