Prosecutor's Office Responds to Ombudsman's 'Superficial Opinion' on Death Penalty

The Prosecutor's Office of Armenia has responded to the statement made by the Human Rights Defender regarding the constitutional and legal grounds for imposing the death penalty for treason, related to a proposal from the Prosecutor General.

In a statement released by the Public Relations Department of the Prosecutor's Office, it was noted: "The Prosecutor's Office of Armenia expresses regret regarding the Human Rights Defender's hurried and superficial opinion on the matter of establishing constitutional and legal grounds for the imposition of the death penalty in exceptional cases of treason, a proposal put forth by the Prosecutor General. This opinion was expressed without a thorough discussion of the underlying reasons and justifications for the proposal (including within the framework of constitutional reforms). Such an approach is not conducive to the level of relations and communication between state institutions. The Prosecutor's Office is ready to present all necessary justifications regarding the core issue, should there be a proper discussion initiated within the framework of constitutional reforms, and to elaborate on the deeper circumstances that led to such a proposal, all within the context of the preventive function of the state’s criminal policy in light of the severity and inevitability of penalties for criminal acts, against a backdrop of textbook truths."

It is noteworthy that the Human Rights Defender had previously issued a statement indicating that as a member of the Constitutional Reform Council, they do not even consider it appropriate to discuss such a proposal, as it significantly undermines constitutional and democratic values related to the right to life and the protection of human rights.