The key position became vacant on June 23 when the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) formally dismissed Ruben Vartazarian as its chairman and member because of a recent newspaper interview in which he attacked another SJC member, Gagik Jahangirian.
Jahangirian became the acting head of the judicial watchdog in April 2021 after Vartazarian was charged with obstruction of justice and suspended as SJC chairman amid rising tensions with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. He was widely expected to succeed Vartazarian on a permanent basis.
However, Vartazarian publicized on June 20 secretly recorded audio of his February 2021 conversation with Jahangirian in which the latter appeared to warn him to resign or face criminal charges. The 14-minute recording caused uproar in Armenia. Jahangirian announced his resignation from the SJC on Friday.
The seven remaining members of the body -- which nominates judges, monitors their integrity and can also dismiss them -- met on Monday to elect a new chairman. Three of them ran for the vacant post. None received enough votes in two secret ballots.
One of the candidates, Grigor Bekmezian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that another ballot will likely be held in the coming days or weeks.
In line with Armenian law, the SJC was due to be run by its oldest member, Stepan Mikaelian, in the interim. However, Mikaelian ceded the temporary role to another judge, Sergei Chichoyan.
It was not clear whether the decision was connected with the fact that Mikaelian also participated in Jahangirian’s secretly recorded dinner meeting with Vartazarian.
Meanwhile, Armenia’s Investigative Committee announced on Monday that it has opened a criminal case in connection with the recording. A spokesman for the law-enforcement agency said it is conducting a criminal investigation into abuse of power and obstruction of justice. He did not clarify whether the investigators consider Jahangirian a suspect in the case.