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The bill on “Making Amendments and Addenda to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia” and attached bills on “Making Addendum to the RA Criminal Procedure Code” and “Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Code on Administrative Offenses” were discussed at the extraordinary session of the RA National Assembly on September 6.
Gevorg Petrosyan, deputy from the “Tsarukyan” bloc, made a statement on this issue, which, however, was inaccurate. In particular, Petrosyan stated that the bill envisages criminal liability for the voter for giving a promise to vote for any candidate.
“…Is it a right thing for the state to do? ․․․ To take a person and imprison him for his promise to vote for a candidate. In general, the criminal law does not allow that people be subjected to criminal liability for their ideas. And also making a promise has been made equivalent to accepting a bribe. Here too there is a violation of the principle of equivalent legal approach to the action.”
However, this statement does not correspond to reality. The bill envisages liability for making a promise to accept a bribe, and not making a promise to vote, as the deputy claims.
It is noteworthy that recently leader of Prosperous Armenia Party Gagik Tsarukyan told the journalists that Tsarukyan bloc will vote for the bill, while Petrosyan called on the representatives of their faction to abstain during voting.
Karine Kirakosyan
