Criminal Liability for Hindering Healthcare Workers' Activities

Arsen Torosyan, a deputy from the ruling Civil Contract party, stated on Facebook: "Given the recent attacks on healthcare workers and the incidents of obstructing their professional activities, after lengthy discussions, we have introduced a bill to amend the Criminal Code with deputies Hasmik Hakobyan and Aren Mkrtchyan.

This bill provides for criminal liability for hindering the lawful professional activities of healthcare workers, and stricter penalties when such obstruction is accompanied by threats of violence. Liability for acts of violence is already provided for in the Criminal Code, and we need to work on improving its implementation. Additionally, as a society, we must change and understand that it is unacceptable to obstruct, threaten, or exercise violence against healthcare workers performing their professional duties, just as it is for police officers or rescuers.

Such behavior should not be exhibited against anyone, but we must always remember that because of this, someone who is receiving medical assistance from our healthcare workers may be harmed, and that person could very well be our loved one. Below, I present the complete draft of the amendment and will keep everyone informed about the further developments.

Article 187.1 Obstructing the lawful professional activities of a healthcare worker
1. Hindering the lawful professional activities of a healthcare worker shall be punishable by a fine of up to ten times the minimum wage, or by community service not exceeding one hundred hours, or by restriction of freedom for up to one year, or by short-term imprisonment for up to one month.
2. The act specified in part 1 of this article, which has been committed with a threat of violence against a healthcare worker, shall be punishable by a fine of up to twenty times the minimum wage, or by community service of one hundred to two hundred hours, or by restriction of freedom for up to two years, or by short-term imprisonment for up to two months, or by imprisonment for up to two years."