What Measures Can Be Implemented During a State of Emergency: Marukyan

Edmon Marukyan, the head of the "Enlightened Armenia" faction in the National Assembly, wrote on his Facebook page: "What measures can be implemented during a state of emergency? The 7th article of the RA law on the legal regime of the state of emergency defines the measures and temporary restrictions on rights and freedoms that may be applied, either entirely or partially, during a state of emergency.

1. In the case of declaring a state of emergency, the following measures and temporary restrictions on rights and freedoms may be applied within the area of the emergency:

1. Restriction of the right of free movement of individuals, as well as the establishment of a special regime for entering and exiting the designated area, including restrictions for foreign citizens and stateless persons entering and residing in that area.
2. Strengthening the protection of public order, state-protected facilities, as well as facilities for ensuring the vital needs of the population and transportation.
3. Restrictions on the implementation of certain types of economic activity, including the provision of services and the circulation of goods and financial resources.
4. Establishment of a special regime for the sale, purchase, and circulation of foodstuffs and essential goods.
5. Restrictions or prohibitions on holding gatherings or public events.
6. Prohibition of strikes and other measures that suspend or terminate the activity of legal entities.
7. Restrictions on the movement of vehicles and implementation of inspections.
8. Establishment of special state control over organizations using hazardous production, explosive, radioactive, chemical, and biological hazardous materials or suspension of their activities.
9. Temporary restriction or suspension of the powers of state executive bodies and territorial governance bodies.
10. Removal of material and cultural values in case of actual danger of destruction, theft, or damage during a state of emergency.
11. Establishment of a curfew, prohibiting individuals without identification documents and/or special permits from being in public places, all day long or at certain times of the day, as well as prohibiting presence in streets and public places at certain hours.
12. Restrictions on freedom of expression, particularly prohibiting certain publications and broadcasts by mass media.
13. Verification of identity documents, inspection of personal belongings.
14. Prohibition on the sale of weapons, ammunition, explosives and toxic substances, as well as the establishment of a special regime for substances containing narcotic and psychoactive materials, pharmaceuticals containing potent substances, ethyl alcohol, alcoholic beverages, and products containing alcohol.
15. Expulsion of individuals who violate the legal regime of the state of emergency and do not reside in the area at their expense, and in case of lack of such means, at the expense of the state budget of the Republic of Armenia with subsequent compensation for incurred expenses.
16. Utilization of physical and legal persons’ property and other means as needed to ensure the legal regime of the state of emergency, in accordance with the law, with material compensation.

2. During a state of emergency, the Government of the Republic of Armenia has the right to suspend legal acts of the republican executive bodies and territorial governance bodies.

3. The implementation of the measures provided for in this article during a state of emergency shall not impede the normal functioning of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia, the courts of the Republic of Armenia, and the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia.

4. In cases provided for in point 14 of this article, it is permitted to temporarily confiscate weapons, ammunition, toxic, explosive, and radioactive materials, combat and training military equipment from individuals and legal entities in accordance with the law.

5. The special regime for the sale, purchase, and circulation of foodstuffs and essential goods is established by the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

6. For the purposes of this law, a resident of the area is considered to be an individual registered in that area or an individual who does not have such registration but has any evidence of residence in that area.