Armenian government amends bill on procedures for holdings demos

Armenian government amends bill on procedures for holdings demos

Mediamax news agency
26 Apr 04

YEREVAN

Armenian Minister of Justice David Arutyunyan today presented
amendments and changes to the bill “On procedures for holding
meetings, rallies, marches and demonstrations” adopted by the
parliament in the first reading.

David Arutyunyan said that the government had taken into account most
of the proposals received from international organizations. In
particular, the minister said, about 90 per cent of the notes made by
the OSCE office in Yerevan were taken into consideration while
preparing the bill for the second reading.

It is expected that the voting for the bill “On procedures for holding
meetings, rallies, marches and demonstrations” in the second reading
will take place in the Armenian National Assembly on 27 April.

On 22 April, the special representative of the secretary-general of
the Council of Europe, Natalya Vutova, said that the bill “On
procedures for holding meetings, rallies, marches and demonstrations”
adopted by the Armenian National Assembly in the first reading did not
correspond to Article 11 of the European convention on freedom of
assembly. Vutova said this referring to the preliminary conclusion by
the Council of Europe Venice Commission.