Those who commit crimes in the army are also victims - Avetik Ishkhanyan (video)
In the Criminal Code, the minimum old for life imprisonment should be 21 years. Human rights activist Avetik Ishkhanyan mentions that the labor group initially mentioned the age of 21, but in the final version, it was mentioned 18. "Our regular offer back to the age of 21 was rejected by the Ministry of Justice saying that we are in a state of war. This is completely unclear to me. We, human rights organizations, are always fighting against crime in the army, but let's take into account that those who commit crimes in the army are also victims. They are juveniles and they should not be treated cruelly," said Avetik Ishkhanyan, chairman of the Armenian Helsinki Committee. Mr. Ishkhanyan today participated in a round-table discussion on the draft Criminal Code. Avetik Ishkhanyan's other concern is justification for criminalizing or propagating terrorism in the criminal code. According to the Article, public calls for terrorism, terrorism financing and international terrorism, as well as publicly justifying or promoting terrorism, are punished with a fine in the amount of 500 to 1000 or with arrest for the term of 2 to 3 months or with imprisonment for the term of up to 3 years.
