Armenia's Top Lawyer Yeghishe Kirakosyan, in Charge of Lawsuits Against Azerbaijan in International Courts, Resigns

Yeghishe Kirakosyan, the top lawyer representing Armenia in international courts, has resigned from his position. His departure follows Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s recent moves to potentially withdraw Armenia’s legal cases against Azerbaijan.

Kirakosyan announced his resignation on Facebook, stating that he wanted to "focus more on academic/scientific and professional activities." However, he did not clarify whether his decision was influenced by the government’s approach to legal battles with Azerbaijan.

“Yeghishe paved unprecedented commitment to bring Armenia into the international law forum. He paved the way and advocated for Armenia to become a state party to the ICC. He led the country to bring the cases against Azerbaijan at the ICJ.  Legal experts like him are imperative for the country of Armenia to bring the cases in the necessary international legal forums. As a fact-finding organization, CFTJ underscores how important it is for the evidence to be utilized in the proper courts,  and he did just that. Judge Apkarian considers him a "trailblazer and a bright legal strategist, as well as a friend. He will be missed on the international legal stage.” The Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) statement to The Armenian Report.

Since the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, the Armenian government has filed multiple cases against Azerbaijan in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). These cases accuse Azerbaijan of war crimes, human rights violations against Armenian prisoners, illegal occupation of Armenian territories, and the forced displacement of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan, in response, has also filed legal actions against Armenia in these international courts.

Prime Minister Pashinyan has repeatedly suggested that mutual withdrawal of legal cases could be part of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In January 2025, he officially supported such an idea, even as Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made new threats of military action. Despite this, Pashinyan has not confirmed whether Armenia would drop its cases before or after finalizing a treaty with Azerbaijan.

Legal experts and civic organizations in Armenia have strongly criticized the idea of withdrawing the lawsuits. In a joint statement issued in March 2024, they emphasized that these legal cases are critical for preventing further aggression from Azerbaijan, investigating past crimes against Armenians, and ensuring the possibility of a safe return for displaced Karabakh Armenians.

Judge Apkarian, a key member of The Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ), praised Kirakosyan’s contributions, calling him a “trailblazer and a bright legal strategist.” CFTJ, a respected organization among the Armenian diaspora, stressed his role in bringing Armenia’s legal concerns onto the international stage and pushing for the country’s membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Despite joining the ICC in February 2024, Armenia has not yet filed any legal cases against Azerbaijan at the tribunal. This has raised concerns, as one of the primary reasons for joining the ICC was to hold Azerbaijan accountable for alleged war crimes. Critics argue that Pashinyan’s administration prioritized aligning with Western powers over pursuing justice for Armenian victims. The ICC’s previous arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 further complicated Armenia’s geopolitical standing, fueling speculation about Yerevan’s motivations for joining the court.

Kirakosyan’s resignation was followed by reports that his entire staff had also stepped down. However, government officials denied this, stating that only a few of his subordinates had resigned. Some Armenian media outlets had previously reported Kirakosyan’s resignation in August 2024, but he returned to his duties after a short leave.

The Armenian government has not yet named a successor for Kirakosyan. With ongoing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan and uncertainty over the peace treaty negotiations, the resignation of Armenia’s top legal expert raises concerns about the country’s ability to defend itself on the international legal stage.