The desire to know his own rights and to protect those of the others motivated Deputy Edmon Marukyan to choose lawyer’s profession. Although, currently he is in the political body, but he is sure that he would continue to protect the people’s rights.
The interview with Iravaban.net in the scope of the project “Lawyer Statesmen” is about Edmon Marukyan’s past, his point of view, family and hobbies.
– Why did you choose jurisprudence as a profession?
– I graduated in 1998 and the period before that, if we look back we shall see that the approaches of the Soviet law authorities were more deeply rooted in our country, but even now, there are no so much changes. People were beaten in the penitentiaries, police departments and active NGOs were not so many. So, I decided to acquire a profession that would help me to know my own rights not to be under pressure. This tendency was the first that led me to study jurisprudence; the second step was the defensive psychology. You know, there are different directions in Jurisprudence; prosecution and defense psychology, a man can have prosecuting direction and work as a prosecutor, and another can have well developed defense psychology and work as a lawyer. In this regard, mine is defense psychology and I have chosen my profession first of all with the intention to know my own rights, protect myself and then people around me. I entered the Faculty of Law to be able to protect human rights. During the following ten years 
I was deeply involved in the protection of human rights in all spheres. It was interrupted by political activities. In this regard, I should say that the same thing is going on here. When an advocate has a license he protects the rights of one individual or a group within the scope of this license. The NA deputy has a mandate; he should protect a broad range of people and represent their voice in the Assembly with that mandate. In fact, I continue to protect people’s rights, just the levels, targets and mechanisms are changed.
– Let’s go a little back. You spoke about the notion of legal protection. I wonder whether you carried out civic activities in Vanadzor and felt the need of civil society development on yourself.
– In those years we were involved in different spheres with our team. Those were the years of the development of the NGO sector.:
– What years are you talking about?
From 2001 – 2007, when I served as a volunteer in different NGOs for many years, plus the monitoring group of the NS Penitentiary system, I know all penitentiaries of the RA.
– Let’s speak about the activities at the NA. Most often the place in the Parliament is viewed only as an unduly politicized political platform.:
– You know, Parliament is a political body. Here all the issues should be politicized and the solution to all political problems and questions should be legal. The delicate division between law and politics is just that. We can say and criticize anything, however the final solution should be legal, as no issue can be resolved in the parliament or outside of its walls without it.
– The problems of judicial system, beginning from choosing detention as a precautionary measure, and ending with corruption, are very topical. It is believed that if the judicial system works adequately, other systems shall get better gradually. Do you agree with this?
– I have repeatedly expressed the opinion that if the judicial system becomes an authority that will be in counterbalance to the executive and legislative authorities the largest segment of our problems will be solved. Why do we not have the best investment environment in the South Caucasus today? We cannot easily find a reply in many international reports which say that Armenia does not have authorities, there is a judicial system, and you as a foreign investor or business entity do not have the same opportunities as the domestic Armenian companies in Armenia, so you may lose your property while passing through the judiciary system. This is one of the best reasons for many people not to invest. Can the problem with the investments be solved? Yes, it can, if we have normal judicial system.
– Does the new constitution solve that problem?
The new constitution is a text, how it will be implemented depends on the current political life.
– Please, tell about your family. What hobbies do you have?
– As a rule, I have very little time to spend with my family. And if I have free time, I go to Vanadzor, to my father’s home to spend time with my friends. Besides, I love to travel. My wife is a lawyer, member of Chamber of Advocates. We have two sons. As for the larger family, I have two brothers; my elder brother is a representative of the financial sector, younger brother is a programmer.
– As I understood, you like traveling but the best place you prefer to be is Vanadzor.
– In local level, yes! It is my little homeland. But I have been in many countries, many states and cities of the USA and so on.
– As a rule, people who travel, always bring a souvenir from that country, do you do the same?
– Yes, I bring a famous souvenir of that country. I have such a collection.
– Do you have favorite or strange souvenirs?
– Souvenirs are mainly associated with the country; I cannot remember any strange one.
Interview: Gevorg Tosunyan
Some photos are from Edmon Marukyan’s personal archive.
