National Assembly Discusses Amendments to Criminal Code in Second Reading

The National Assembly of Armenia is discussing the package of amendments and additions to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses today in its second reading. It is noteworthy that this package aims to establish liability for violations of the restrictions imposed due to a state of emergency.

Unlike the first reading, the Minister of Justice presented the project in the second reading, outlining the proposed changes.

According to the proposed amendments to the relevant article of the Code of Administrative Offenses, the following points are being added:

• Violating the requirements for isolation or self-isolation during a state of emergency declared due to an emergency situation will subject offenders to administrative liability, with fines ranging from 300 to 500 times the established minimum wage.
• Violating the restrictions on the publication or dissemination of information established during a state of emergency by physical and legal entities will result in fines ranging from 50 to 300 times the minimum wage.

Additionally, the Criminal Code will be amended with Article 277.1, which states that violating the requirements for isolation or self-isolation during a state of emergency declared due to a crisis, resulting in mass illness, may be punished with detention for up to 3 months or imprisonment for up to 5 years.