14:35, 1 September 2022

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Prosecutor-General of Armenia Artur Davtyan is recommending creating the constitutional-legal basis, constitutional amendments, that would allow capital punishment for high treason.

Davtyan said in a statement that the investigations into the multiple cases of state treason committed during the 2020 war, recruitment of Armenian citizens by enemy intelligence agencies are creating the need to strengthen the criminal-legal fight against this type of crime and requiring stronger punishment.

“The kind of disgusting manifestations of state treason which are being recorded in which case the urgent issues of ensuring social justice and security are causing the need to apply the strongest punishment against perpetrators of such actions, up to the use of death penalty,” Davtyan said.

Armenia doesn’t have a direct international-legal obligation on defining a total ban of death penalty.

Although the constitution bans death penalty, the ban can be overcome through constitutional changes.

At the same time, the constitution also defines that during state of emergency or martial law it is possible to deviate in human rights area within the framework of international obligations.

Davtyan has applied to the Minister of Justice Karen Andreasyan, who is the Chairman of the Constitutional Reforms Council.