Election falsifiers in Armenia may be sentenced to jail term
YEREVAN, March 31. /ARKA. The Armenian government on Thursday agreed to incorporate a set of changes to the Penal Code proposed by MP Edmond Marukyan, which provide for a sentence of imprisonment for the falsification of elections.
Justice minister Arpine Hovhannisyan said the proposed changes remove fine as an alternative punishment, leaving only deprivation of freedom as a punishment for this type of crime.
Economy minister Artsvik Minasyan from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun said the proposed changes are prompted by reported attempts to avoid harsher punishment for falsification of elections by paying only a fine.
"I think it is necessary either to toughen the penalty or allow the courts to choose the punitive measure,’ Minasyan said.
The changes were opposed by the chief of government staff David Harutyunyan who said the courts should be entrusted to determine themselves the measure of punishment for each individual case, depending on the severity of the offense.
"I think that the proposed approach is quite artificial and quite tough, being forced by the political situation. If accepted they would completely underestimate the role of courts. In rural communities the husband comes to the polling station with his wife passport to vote for her. Yes, it is a violation, but I do not think that he should be imprisoned for it," said Harutyunyan.
Prime minister Hovik Abrahamyan for his part noted that since the government’s goal is to increase public confidence in the election processes, it would be correct for it to approve the proposed changes and submit them to parliament’s consideration that will determine their suitability. -0-
Justice minister Arpine Hovhannisyan said the proposed changes remove fine as an alternative punishment, leaving only deprivation of freedom as a punishment for this type of crime.
Economy minister Artsvik Minasyan from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun said the proposed changes are prompted by reported attempts to avoid harsher punishment for falsification of elections by paying only a fine.
"I think it is necessary either to toughen the penalty or allow the courts to choose the punitive measure,’ Minasyan said.
The changes were opposed by the chief of government staff David Harutyunyan who said the courts should be entrusted to determine themselves the measure of punishment for each individual case, depending on the severity of the offense.
"I think that the proposed approach is quite artificial and quite tough, being forced by the political situation. If accepted they would completely underestimate the role of courts. In rural communities the husband comes to the polling station with his wife passport to vote for her. Yes, it is a violation, but I do not think that he should be imprisoned for it," said Harutyunyan.
Prime minister Hovik Abrahamyan for his part noted that since the government’s goal is to increase public confidence in the election processes, it would be correct for it to approve the proposed changes and submit them to parliament’s consideration that will determine their suitability. -0-