Armenia could give veterans amnesty for crimes against military service

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Ministry of Justice has unveiled draft amendments to Armenia's amnesty law, according to which the amnesty will apply to persons suspected, accused or convicted of a minor or medium-gravity crime before September 26, 2020, who went on to participate in the 44-day war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) on September 27.

The Justice Ministry proposes applying amnesty to servicemen involved in the 44-day war who are suspected, charged or convicted of violating Chapter 32 of the country's Criminal Code (crimes against military service) during martial law between September 27, 2020 and March 24, 2021.

The amendments stipulate that the amnesty will also be applied to fugitives, who will voluntarily turn themselves in until February 1, 2022.

At the same time, the draft has established conditions under which amnesty will not be applied. In order to be legally binding, the document must still be approved by the government and then adopted by the National Assembly.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev on November 9 signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Under the deal, the Armenian side has returned all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities.