LOCATION OF MASS DISORDER NOT ESTABLISHED

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08:23 pm | March 17, 2009

Politics

"We have received the conclusion of the Venetian Commission and are
presenting it to you at ease," said today during a NA session Head
of the standing committee on state/legal issues, head of the Armenian
delegation to PACE David Harutyunyan.

The second reading for the bill on changes in articles 225 and 300
of the RA Criminal Code lasted only a couple of minutes. Articles 2,
4 and 5 of the Criminal Code were added during the second reading
and were discussed based on the regime of the first reading.

The main reporter of the bill David Harutyunyan informed that the
definition of mass disorder has been finally established in article
225:

"By the criminal code mass disorder means group activities carried
out through violence, massacre, explosions, damage or elimination of
assets, use of arson, weapons or explosives or armed assaults against
authority figures, which endanger the security of the people."

After presenting this and other changes in the bill, there was
only question heard in the National Assembly. Head of the NA ad-hoc
committee on the investigations into the events of March 1-2 Samvel
Nikoyan was interested in whether the law establishes the site for
mass disorder or not.

"The location is very important. The site of the mass disorder and
the events taking place are very important," said Mr. Nikoyan noting
the events of March 1.

David Harutyunyan informed that the word combination "location of
mass disorder" is not included in the law.

According to the changes, "Any participant of the mass disturbances
who assaults, massacres or bombs, damages or eliminates assets, uses
arson, weapons and explosives or assaults against state figures is
sentenced to 3-8 years in prison." There were no other questions for
the reporter and there were no other reporters.

Let us remind that the National Assembly is making this change by the
demand of the PACE and must make all changes by the PACE April session.