AMENDMENTS TO CRIMINAL CODE VOTED WITHOUT 5TH PART OF ARTICLE 225
David Harutyunyan, the co-author of the draft of law making amendments to the Articles 225 and 300 of the Criminal Code and the President of the State and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, says he does not agree with NA Deputy Viktor Dallakyan’s opinion that if during mass events it has announced to usurp the power but no activities follow it, then the author of those statements should not be prosecuted. According to him statements of violations are also criminal acts, and irrespective of the fact whether those statements have been developed or not, the author should be prosecuted. Otherwise, Mr. Harutyunyan says that “we should charge the person depending on the fact whether any activities happened after his statements.”
Regarding ARF Deputy Artsvik Minasyan’s recommendation to leave usurping the power and keeping the power in the code, D. Harutyunyan said that “most possibly you are right, but if usurping the power means forced activities, keeping the power can have different forms.”
David Harutyunyan offered to put the amendments to the article 225 voting without the 5th part which says that a person present at the place of mass disorder, who has not done anything should be also prosecuted as a participant of the mass disorder. This provision has been the most disputable and criticized provision in the NA discussions.