Siranush Sahakyan, Director of the International and Comparative Law Center and the Armenian office of the Armenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights, participated as a judge in the first International Moot Court Competition on the Crime of Genocide, held in Yerevan from 23 to 27 April 2026. In her capacity as a judge, Siranush Sahakyan contributed to the assessment of participants’ legal reasoning, advocacy skills, and their engagement with complex issues related to the interpretation and application of international law in genocide cases.
Organized by the Armenian International Law Association and the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, the competition marked a significant milestone in the field of international legal education as the world’s first moot court dedicated exclusively to the crime of genocide. The initiative brought together students and young professionals, creating a platform for in-depth legal discussions and the development of practical advocacy skills around one of the gravest crimes under international law.
The competition was held in a bilingual format, featuring both international and local rounds. Two teams participated in the international round, with the University of Ljubljana from Slovenia declared the winner, while among the nine teams participating in the Armenian round, the French University in Armenia was recognized as the winner. Through simulated proceedings modeled on the International Court of Justice, participants argued a hypothetical inter-State dispute concerning the crime of genocide.
In light of growing global concerns over mass atrocities and serious violations of international law, the competition aimed to deepen understanding of genocide prevention and accountability. It sought to combine academic knowledge with practical legal skills, encouraging participants to critically engage with the challenges facing the contemporary international legal order.