Over 230 judges work in the Courts of the First Instance in Armenia, 46 of them are women, that is 20 percent. This picture is based on the information of the Judicial Portal and the RA Judiciary Department.
Gender inequality exists among the richest judges as well. In case where the incomes of the richest judges of the Court of the First Instance in Yerevan begin with 3 figures and end in million, the incomes of the women judges less is less with 1 figure.
We have reviewed the declarations of all women judges in the Court of the First Instance that were available on the website of the Commission on Ethics of High-Ranking Officials. Below is information on the income of 11 richest woman judges.
Situation in the Courts of First Instance in Yerevan
In 2011, Nelly Baghdasaryan, the judge of the Court of First Instance of Shengavit Community of Yerevan had 9 million AMD, 20 thousand USD and 10 thousand EUROs.
The income from job salary and/or equal payments totaled to 1.8 million AMD; the judge received 5.3 million AMD loan. There were no significant changes during the next few years and her cash assets totaled to 7.8 million AMD, 16 thousand USD and 8.6 thousand EUROs.
In 2011, the judge’s husband Aristakes Barseghyan had 16 million AMD, 24 thousand USD and 13 thousand EUROs, he also received a loan of 13 million AMD. In 2014 his cash assets decreased to 14 million AMD, 22.4 thousand USD and 10 thousand EUROs. So, the judge and her husband had about 50.9million AMD.
In 2011, Marine Melkonyan, Judge of the Court of First Instance of Arabkir and Kanaker-Zeytun Communities of Yerevan had 15.5 million AMD and 67 thousand USD.
As of the date of assuming her office in the Court of General Jurisdiction of Ajapnyak and Davtashen Administrative Districts, she declared a VAZ 21214 and in 2014 had 17.5 million AMD and 67 thousand USD, her job salary totaled to 6 million AMD. Her cash assets amounted to 54 million AMD.
In 2013, Liza Grigoryan, Judge of the Court of First Instance of Erebuni and Nubarashen Communities of Yerevan had 10 million AMD, 82 thousand USD and 23 thousand EUROs. As of the date of assuming her office she declared an apartment and a VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 1.8 T.
We learn from Ms. Grigoryan’s declaration that by the end of the tax year she had purchased an apartment for 51 thousand USD and a TOYOTA YARIS 1.4 for 8 thousand USD. At the beginning of the year, her cash assets totaled to 10 million AMD, 82 thousand USD and 23 thousand EUROs, by the end of the year they decreased to 1 million AMD, 31 thousand USD and 19 thousand EUROs because of the purchases. In fact, she has about 26 million AMD.
Tatevik Stepanyan, Judge of the Court of First Instance of Erebuni and Nubarashen Communities of Yerevan assumed her post in 2014. She has declared an apartment, 11 million AMD and 26 thousand USD. At the beginning of 2014 her husband had 22 million AMD and 32 thousand USD, and by the end of the year he had 16 million AMD and 29 thousand USD.
In 2011, Judge Gayane Khachatryan from the same court had 12 million AMD and 25 thousand USD, next year her USD cash assets disappeared and in 2013 again appeared. In 2014 her cash assets remained unchanged and job salary was 5 million AMD. She had 12 million AMD.
In 2011, Karine Petrosyan, Judge of the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts received a loan of 5 thousand USD and 1 million AMD, her job salary is 6.2 million AMD despite the fact that she has not declared cash assets. Next year she purchased a RENAULT DUSTER 2.0 and received a loan of 10 thousand EUROs, 5 thousand USD and 7.8 million AMD. By the end of the year, her cash assets reached to 20 million AMD from zero index and in 2013 decreased to 15 million.
In 2014, Ms. Petrosyan sold her car for the same price she had bought and purchased a garage for 6.1 million AMD. Her cash assets decreased from 15 million AMD to 7.2 AMD. Her job salary is 7.2 million AMD. So, Ms. Petrosyan has 12 million AMD.
Judge Tatevik Grigoryan who assumed her office in the Court of General Jurisdiction of Ajapnyak and Davtashen Administrative Districts in 2015 has 8 million AMD and 12 thousand USD. Her cash assets total to 13.9 million AMD.
At the beginning of 2011, Judge Ani Mkhitaryan from the same court had 1 million AMD and 77 thousand USD and by the end of the year her incomes increased to 19.6 million AMD.
In the same year she alienated property for 17.1 million AMD and received a loan of 1 million AMD. Next year she also alienated property for 8.2 million AMD and her cash assets increased to 28.2 million AMD.
In 2014, she had 29 million AMD and 77 thousand USD in her last declaration. In fact she has 66.8 million AMD.
Lilit Katvalyan, Judge of the Court of First Instance of Malatia-Sebastia Community of Yerevan has not declared cash assets but in 2013 she purchased a LEXUS RX 350 for 10 million AMD, received a loan of 30 thousand USD and alienated property for 5 million AMD. Her job salary is 6 million AMD.
In 2011, her husband Rafik Marutyan had 45 million AMD and 40 thousand USD and next year he purchased a TOYOTA LAND CRUISER PRADO 4.0 for 11 million AMD. By the end of 2014, her husband’s cash assets totaled to 39 million AMD and 40 thousand USD. Ms. Katvalyan and her husband have about 73 million AMD taking into account the received loan.
There are almost no wealthy judges in the regions
The situation is quite different in the regions as here we do not have wealthy woman judges. The officials who appeared at the center of our attention have not declared so much money as those of Yerevan.
In 2011, Gohar Fidyan, Judge of Armavir District Court of First Instance had 7.3 million AMD and 10.3 thousand USD. By the end of 2012 her cash assets totaled to 8 million AMD and 10.3 thousand USD, next year there were no changes and according to the last declaration her incomes increased only by dram reaching to 9.3 million AMD. The USD assets remained 10.3 thousand. She had 14 million AMD.
The next woman judge from the regions is Varduhi Hovnanyan, Judge of Lori District Court of First Instance. In 2011, she had 7 million AMD and 5 thousand USD, in 2014, she purchased a plot for 800 thousand AMD but her cash assets remained the same. The judge’s husband has 1 million AMD and 3 thousand USD. His cash assets total to 2.4 million AMD.
Lilit Khachatryan, judge of Shirak District Court of First Instance is relatively rich. In 2011, she had 1.5 million AMD, 28 thousand USD and 25 thousand rubles. Next year her ruble incomes were eliminated and in 2014, her cash assets totaled to 1.8 million AMD and 27 thousand USD. In 2011, the judge’s husband Ara Khachatryan had 20 thousand USD and received 4 thousand rubles as a donation. In 2014, his cash assets totaled to 1 million AMD and 15 thousand USD. It turns out that the judge of Shirak region and her husband have about 22 million AMD.
In 2011, Zoya Zakinyan, Judge of Tavush District Court of First Instance had 1 million AMD, 500 USD and 5 thousand rubles. In 2014, her cash assets totaled to 4.5 million AMD and 4500 USD. She has 6.7 million AMD.
After all, who is the richest judge of the Courts of First Instance in Armenia?
Lilit Katvalyan, Judge of the Court of First Instance of Malatia-Sebastia Community of Yerevan is the richest among the judges of the Court of the First Instance. Her and her husband’s cash assets totaled to 73 million AMD.
For comparison, note that David Harutyunyan, Judge of the Court of First Instance of Avan and Nor Nork Communities of Yerevan is the richest judge. In 2014, his and his wife’s cash assets totaled to 351 million AMD.
Gevorg Tosunyan
