Do you remember how much talk there was in 2018–2019 about “lustration,” “vetting,” “transitional justice,” and “judicial integrity”? All of it, of course, was understood in a rather peculiar way. I remember that during those years I interviewed one of the key figures of the Civil Contract party—the conversation was, in my view, quite cordial, though the questions were somewhat pointed. In the comments section, some overexcited women wrote: “journalists should also be subjected to lustration.” In other words, for the Nikol-supporting masses, these “lustrations” and “vettings” were understood exclusively as a way to bar from public life those they simply disliked.
It soon became clear, however, that in the judicial system, in particular, a pocket Supreme Judicial Council was used to “vet” those unwilling to serve Pashinyan, while the odious figures who had served the “former” authorities continued, with equal enthusiasm, to serve the “current” ones. The conclusion is unavoidable: the authors of the “Velvet Revolution” never had any real intention of changing the system; their sole aim was to benefit from the very system that had existed before them.
Pre-trial detention has remained, and continues to remain, in the hands of the authorities as a tool for settling scores, punishing dissent, and cultivating an atmosphere of fear. Over the past 30 years, I have written about this no fewer than ten times. The authorities often justify arrests by pointing out that the accused is a current or former official, a wealthy individual, someone capable of influencing the investigation, and so on. Is 18-year-old David Minasyan also to be counted among such officials and oligarchs?
Over the past eight years, many new “Matsos” have, of course, emerged. To be fair, there are also young, competent, and principled judges within Armenia’s judicial system—but they are not assigned political cases. Still, the fact remains: no real “vetting” or “lustration” has taken place.
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I dream of a genuine lustration—one I see as a process of reconciliation and societal harmonisation. That will only become possible after Pashinyan leaves power.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
