Armenia’s chief prosecutor seeks death penalty for high treason

Panorama
Armenia – Sept 1 2022

Armenia’s Prosecutor-General Artur Davtyan calls for constitutional amendments that would allow capital punishment for high treason.

In a statement on Thursday, Davtyan said the probes into the multiple cases of high treason committed during the 2020 Artsakh as well as the recruitment of Armenian citizens by Azerbaijan’s intelligence agencies through modern technologies highlight the need to step up the fight against this crime and impose tougher punishments on criminals.

"Such disgusting manifestations of high treason are recorded in which ensuring social justice and security requires the harshest punishment for perpetrators, up to death penalty," said Davtyan said.

According to him, the study carried out by the Prosecutor General's Office shows that Armenia has no international legal obligation to fully abolish the death penalty. Although the applicable Constitution bans death penalty, the ban can be lifted through constitutional changes.

Davtyan has applied to Minister of Justice Karen Andreasyan, who also heads the Constitutional Reforms Council, asking him to discuss the matter.