Commission for Protection of Lawyers` Rights applies to  Anti-Corruption Committee over obstruction of meetings of lawyers  with their clients 

ArmInfo.  The Commission for the Protection of Lawyers' Rights has appealed to the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia Artur Nahapetyan with a demand to initiate criminal proceedings in connection with the obstruction of meetings of lawyers with the detained members of the ARF  "Dashnaktsutyun" accused of "preparing a terrorist act", and to hold  the guilty officials accountable.

As recalled in the statement distributed by the Chamber of Advocates  of Armenia, on July 10, 2025, lawyers Abgar Poghosyan, Varazdat  Harutyunyan and Sergey Harutyunyan arrived at the Investigative  Department of the Investigative Committee to protect the rights of  their clients. However, according to the lawyers, they were denied  access to the administrative building for three and a half hours,  despite the presence of representatives of the Human Rights  Defender's office.

"Due to the impossibility of entering the investigative department,  the lawyers found no other way out than to leave the territory of the  institution. Obstructing the access of lawyers to the bodies  conducting criminal proceedings is becoming an increasingly common  practice. The Human Rights Defender of Armenia also touched upon  recent cases where lawyers were denied legal assistance to their  clients," the statement says.

In this regard, the Commission for the Protection of the Rights of  Lawyers called on the bodies implementing criminal proceedings to  refrain from interfering in the lawful professional activities of  lawyers. The Bar Association also strongly condemned the actions of  officials who obstructed the access of lawyers to the Yerevan City  Investigation Department to protect the rights and legitimate  interests of their clients.

The Commission recalled that, in accordance with Article 6 of the  European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and  Fundamental Freedoms, everyone accused of committing a criminal  offence has minimum rights. In particular, he must be given  sufficient time and opportunity to prepare his defense, as well as  the right to defend himself personally or through lawyers of his  choice. "If the accused does not have sufficient means to pay for a  lawyer, he or she has the right to have a lawyer assigned to him or  her free of charge. In accordance with the United Nations Fundamental  Principles on the Role of Lawyers (1990), governments are also  obliged to ensure that the competent authorities promptly inform  everyone of his or her right to a lawyer of his or her choice if  arrested, detained or charged with a criminal offence," the  Commission recalled.

In addition, the statement explains that governments must ensure that  all detained persons, whether or not they have been charged with a  criminal offence, are able to see a lawyer promptly, at least no  later than forty-eight hours after their arrest or detention. "All  detained or imprisoned persons must be provided with adequate  opportunities, time and facilities to see, communicate with and  consult with a lawyer without delay, interference or censorship, and  in full confidentiality," the Commission for the Protection of  Lawyers added.

The Commission further stressed that obstructing the exercise of  lawyers' powers deprives detainees or persons deprived of their  liberty on any grounds of the right to legal assistance through  counsel of their choice, violates the legality of the proceedings and  undermines the rule of law.

"The implementation of human rights protection by a lawyer is not  only a professional duty, but also a fundamental guarantee of the  proper administration of justice.

Hindering this, especially in the context of the implementation of  the rights of detainees, contradicts both the Armenian legislation  and the international obligations undertaken by the state," the  Commission said in a statement.

In connection with the current situation, the Commission for the  Protection of Lawyers' Rights also appealed to international and  national organizations and partners operating in the field of human  rights protection, expecting their support to prevent similar cases  in the future.

Recall that on July 9, representatives of the Armenian law  enforcement agencies conducted searches in the homes of a number of  members of the ARF "Dashnaktsutyun", including Gegham Manukyan, a  member of parliament from the opposition faction "Armenia". According  to the press service of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, 7  people were detained in connection with the case of preparing a  "terrorist act". It is noteworthy that lawyers were not allowed to  see the detainees in violation of their rights.