Armenian ruling party votes down bill to criminalize statements questioning territorial integrity

The Civil Contract party of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that controls 71 of the 107 seats in the National Assembly voted down an opposition-drafted bill that proposes to criminalize all statements questioning the territorial integrity of the country.

Aram Vardevanyan, an opposition MP from the Hayastan (Armenia) alliance, who is one of the authors of the bill.

'Let's be honest, this bill, in my belief and perception, will be aimed at persecuting people outside the territory of the Republic of Armenia and not to leave such statements without consequences," he said during a  debate on the bill.

Vahagn Hovakimyan, the deputy head of the parliamentary committee on state and legal affairs, explained that the current criminal procedure toolkit allows to fully protect the territorial integrity of Armenia from any encroachments, actions and appeals.

"The problem voiced by the co-author of the bill is addressed by our criminal legislation. In terms of legal certainty, this bill does not stand up to any criticism," he said.