A new Criminal Code of Armenia has been promulgated on 27 May 2021.

It is a result of several years of meticulous work of the Armenian authorities in cooperation with the Council of Europe. The Code incorporates most of the recommendations that the Council of Europe made at the drafting stage. It moves from a punitive to a re-socialisation policy, expanding the list of non-custodial sentences and thus viewing imprisonment as an ultimate measure.

“The Code will make the justice system more humane and thus promotes citizens’ trust in the latter", stated Christos Giakoumopoulos, Director General Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe.

“We will continue supporting Armenia in implementing this new legislation in line with the Council of Europe’s standards”, he concluded.

The new Code is also expected to facilitate the execution by Armenia of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights on several issues, including the violations on account of torture and ill-treatment. The matter continues to be addressed by the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2019-2022 and through related cooperation projects co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe.