The Armenian parliament today elected Gagik Jahangiryan and Davit Khachaturyan members of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).

89 of the parliament's 132 deputies voted. 86 deputies voted for Jahangiryan and three voted against him. 85 deputies voted for Khachaturyan and three voted against. One ballot was declared invalid.

Davit Khachaturyan has a PhD in Law. He has been a member of the Chamber of Advocates since 2016.  

Jahangiryan served as Armenia’s Deputy Prosecutor General from 2006-2008. In 2012, he was elected to the parliament on the national list of the Armenian National Congress bloc.

 Opposition MPs did not take part in the secret ballot.

According to the Armenian government’s website, the independence of courts and judges shall be guaranteed by the Supreme Judicial Council, which is an independent state body comprised of ten members. Five members of the Supreme Judicial Council shall be elected by the General Assembly of Judges, another five members — by the National Assembly.