ACC officers raided a district court in Yerevan where the 60-year-old judge, Artush Gabrielian, presided over a hearing. They reportedly interrupted the hearing and took Gabrielian away for questioning.
In a statement issued later in the day, the law-enforcement agency described the raid as an “evidentiary operation” carried out in connection with “cases of giving, receiving and assisting in the receipt of bribes.” It said nothing about Gabrielian’s role in the alleged bribery and gave no other details.
It was thus not clear whether the investigators will move to indict Gabrielian. They cannot do that without the consent of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a state body overseeing Armenian courts. The Office of the Prosecutor-General declined to clarify whether it will ask for such permission.
The SJC took disciplinary action against Gabrielian last September. At least two media outlets reported in the following months that he will soon be removed from the bench.
Also, Gabrielian became the first Armenian judge who risks losing his personal assets which law-enforcement authorities say have been acquired illegally. They are seeking to confiscate five properties, four cars and at least 63 million drams ($160,000) in cash belonging to him and his family.
Armenian opposition groups, lawyers and media have for years accused Gabrielian of executing government orders to help jail prominent critics of the government. The judge, who had taken the bench in 2003, has approved arrest warrants issued for several such individuals.