RALLIES AND MARCHES IN ARMENIA TO BE REGULATED BY LAW

05.05.2004 13:33

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian President signed the bill On Rallies,
Meetings, Marches and Demonstrations earlier adopted by the parliament. In
the words of the Armenian minister of Justice David Harutyunian, the
parliamentarians completed the bill on the basis of the OSCE proposals. In
part, the bill strictly limits the subjectivity of the power and court
bodies for sanctioning such measures. In case the representatives of the
state structures illegally hinder mass actions, administrative or criminal
proceedings can be initiated against them. The period of providing
permissions for the actions as well as for appeals against the court’s
decision have been shortened. Besides the plenipotentiary bodies should
provide alternative time or place for the actions planned. The bill taboos
to hold mass meetings at the distance of 150 meters from the constructions
of state and strategic importance as well as near community facilities. To
note, the Armenian opposition stated the project as “repressive” as the
adoption of it by the parliament became one of the reasons for breaking off
the dialogue with the authorities on normalization of the internal political
situation.