Justice ministry to develop legislative decisions over protests

Armenian Justice Ministry will examine the issues related to protests and the international experience so as to identify the gaps in Armenian legislation and create mechanisms for a proper legal basis that will enable to exercise the rights and freedoms of citizens, without prejudice to rights of other persons, Armenian Justice Minister Hovhannes Manukyan told reporters today.

Touching upon Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan’s remarks about inadmissibility of manifestations of permissiveness displayed by civil society members, H. Manukyan declared that the prime minister’s words were misinterpreted.

“They were not aimed at restricting the rights of civil society, but were related to the exercise of citizens’ constitutional rights. The public can in some cases oppose government decisions. But protest should not impede activities of state bodies,” the minister said.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan said on June 26 that he has no intention of enduring the permissiveness of participants of various protests staged in Yerevan. “I want to address one phenomenon that worries me: some members of society have begun to express their discontent through unbridled and provocative methods. I believe it is inadmissible to humiliate and pressurize representatives of the authorities by resorting to mob actions, such as pelting deputies or ministers with coins. Some have probably forgotten that representatives of the authorities have the same rights and freedoms and shall be protected as any other member of society,” the prime minister said.

He instructed Justice Minister Hovhannes Manukyan and Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan to discuss the issue and propose solutions - both legislative and organizational ones and in case of need to invite European colleagues and study their experience concerning the protection of constitutional rights and the measures against manifestations of arbitrariness and permissiveness.