18 March 2008, 13:08
Ban on rallies and protest actions in Armenia
The ban on mass events has found the force of a law in Armenia until the end of the criminal case on the disorders in Yerevan at night on March 1 and early on March 2.
At midnight on March 17, the MPs held their extraordinary session and adopted amendments to the Law "On Rallies, Marches and Demonstrations".
"To avoid in future any disorders similar to those that happened on March 1 in Yerevan and to put the legislative environment regulating rallies, marches and similar protest actions into order, Parliament of Armenia has adopted the amendments, according to which in case of any disorders as a result of mass actions, the authorities of Armenia shall have the right to refuse to give sanctions to organizers of mass actions on holding new rallies, demonstrations and marches until a complete end of the criminal case," reports the press service of the Armenian Parliament as quoted by the "Gazeta.Ru".
The "Caucasian Knot" has informed earlier that the draft of amendments assumed to ban public actions, in case they are intended, according to reliable data towards a violent overthrow of the constitutional order, kindling of national, racial and religious hatred, propaganda of violence or war, or in case these actions can damage the state security, public order, morals or health of the society, violation of the constitutional rights and freedoms of other persons.
