Today, on 11 October, court hearing in the case of confiscation of properties and funds of allegedly illicit origin of Hrayr Tovmasyan, Judge of the Constitutional Court and his wife Lamara Khudaverdyan took place in the Anti-Corruption Civil Court. Presiding Judge Lili Drmeyan.

Naira Artashesyan, Prosecutor of the Department for Confiscation of Property of Illicit Origin, did not oppose the request of the Iravaban.net journalist to videotape the court session.

Hrayr Tovmasyan’s representatives Aram Orbelyan and Artur Hovhannisyan objected.

“We object to both video broadcasting and video recording,” Hovhannisyan said.

When asked by the judge if there was any reason, he said, “I am constrained by the camera.”

Aram Orbelyan, interrupting his colleague, said: “No, no, honorable court, there is no obligation to clarify. There is no problem of being constrained or not, we just do not find it expedient to film it.”

When the prosecutor was going to present the motion to change the basis and subject of the claim, Hrayr Tovmasyan’s representative Aram Orbelyan again addressed the court, asking for a 1minute break. He said that he has a technical matter to discuss with his client.

After the break, the lawyer submitted a motion to hold the hearing behind closed doors.

“We petition the court to examine the case behind closed doors. I will present why we believe that the session should be held behind closed doors,” he said.

Iravaban.net later learned from the judge’s office that the examination of the petition has been completed; the decision will be published in the form of a separate judicial act.

Hasmik Sargsyan