The Armenian parliament has approved today a set of amendments to the Criminal Code in the second and final reading which set life imprisonment as penalty for high treason.
The amendments were co-sponsored by MPs from the opposition Prosperous Armenia party Vahe Enfiajyan , Naira Zohrabyan and Iveta Tonoyan.
Vahe Enfiajyan, who is also deputy parliament speaker, said high treason is punishable by life imprisonment and confiscation of property, and espionage - by 12 to 20 years in prison.
"High treason and espionage are the most terrible crimes and the punishment, accordingly, should be the most severe," ARKA cited Enfiajyan as saying.
According to the co-authors of the amendments, over the past 10 years, about 13 criminal cases have been launched into high treason and espionage in the country.
According to the current legislation, high treason is punished by imprisonment for a term of 10 to 15 years with or without confiscation of property. For espionage, the penalty is imprisonment for a term of 8 to 15 years.
