Citizens Received Misleading Message Yesterday: State of Emergency Restrictions Still in Effect, Many Fined Today

The enforcement of the state of emergency allows for the tightening of restrictions at any moment. The state of emergency regime provides this opportunity, requiring only a conditional half-hour notice. There is also a question of professionalism; the ruling political force has failed to develop a legislative package that would enable necessary measures to be carried out without a state of emergency, said Ruben Melikyan, co-founder of the NGO 'Legal Way' and a human rights defender, in an interview with Tert.am, commenting on the government's decision yesterday to extend the state of emergency by one more month with certain restrictions being eased.

When asked why the ruling political force did not wish to develop a draft law following the mention of the need for such a project by the 'Enlightened Armenia' and 'Prosperous Armenia' factions during yesterday's National Assembly session, Melikyan replied, “Often we see complex reasons, but I do not rule out that at this stage, it was simply a matter of insufficient professionalism and organization.”

Regarding the easing of restrictions in open areas and their clarification, the human rights defender noted that the restrictions still apply, meaning that “the easements in this regard have not yet been implemented, and many citizens received a misleading message yesterday and many have been fined today due to their trust in the government’s statements.”

“Every announcement requires a decision from the chief of emergency services, whereas here it was merely talking about intentions, but many perceived it as a reality, because not everyone is a lawyer, and not everyone knows that there must first be a government decision, which already exists, followed by the appropriate decision from the chief of emergency services. Only after the legal act will it be clear whether or not the restrictions in spaces are defined,” he said. “The easing of the mask-wearing restriction in vehicles has not yet come into effect,” he added.

In response to a question about whether allowing peaceful gatherings under certain conditions gives citizens a full opportunity to hold gatherings, the human rights defender stated that the mask requirement is reasonable and can be implemented, while maintaining distance is more challenging, though it is still possible. “I believe that if the police display the necessary qualities, it will be possible to reconcile all legitimate interests,” he noted.

Speaking about the continuous extensions of the state of emergency and its legality, Ruben Melikyan asserted, “I have always been and continue to be of the opinion that the state of emergency should not be extended more than once. However, if we accept the viewpoint that it can be extended, then each extension should have clear justifications. I believe that at least this time those justifications are not convincing. Restrictions could have been implemented without extending the state of emergency,” he concluded.