Judicial Ethics Program Brings International Spotlight to Armenia

December 2007

The International Association of Judges (IAJ) has selected Armenia to host its next annual conference, scheduled for September 2008 in Yerevan.  This designation is the latest achievement of the Association of Judges of the Republic of Armenia (AJRA), an organization that the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) helped form and has continued to support since 1997. 

IAJ host countries must have a sustainable judges’ association and exhibit a commitment to innovative judicial programs. Armenia demonstrated excellence in both areas at this year’s IAJ conference in Norway, where conference participants applauded the AJRA’s Commentaries to the Code of Judicial Conduct.  The commentaries provide interpretations, explanations, and examples of the rules of judicial ethics that were adopted in 2005 with ABA ROLI’s financial and consultative support.  In addition to selecting Armenia as next year’s host, IAJ honored AJRA by posting the commentaries on its website as a model for other judicial associations.

About 350 judges from around the world are expected to attend the IAJ conference in Yerevan.  Armenia’s designation as the host country marks the first time any former Soviet republic has had this honor and points to the cumulative impact of ABA ROLI’s work in the country.