For the First Time in the History of This National Assembly, an Opposition Bill Has Been Passed

The National Assembly yesterday passed an amendment to the Criminal Code on the first reading, authored by MPs from the Prosperous Armenia party. The bill proposes to increase the penalties for treason to a maximum of life imprisonment.

“Switching sides to the enemy, handing over state secrets to a foreign state or foreign organization or their representatives, providing assistance to engage in hostile activities, as well as handing over state secret-containing information to a foreign organization or their representatives, or collecting, stealing, or retaining such information for the purpose of providing it, or transferring other information at the behest of foreign intelligence, in other words, for treason, should incur the highest punishment—life imprisonment with confiscation of property,” stated Vahe Enfiajyan.

The National Assembly approved the bill with 109 votes in favor and 2 abstentions, with the abstentions coming from independent members Taguhi Tovmasyan and Anna Grigoryan. Many chose not to vote, and there was one vote against from a newly elected member of the My Step bloc, Hakob Aslanyan, who received his mandate after the war. The 67-year-old MP is a participant in the three wars in Artsakh. Notably, this is a unique case in the history of this National Assembly, as it marks the first time an opposition-proposed bill has been adopted.