Pashinyan claims the discussion in Brussels was not easy, and the possible solutions are not obvious

The discussion that took place in Brussels on August 31 was not easy, but we must consistently work towards implementing the peace agenda. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced this at today’s government session.

“It is clear that the discussion was extensive, it is not easy, but I want to record that our objectives continue to remain and should continue to remain as I have announced in my public speeches. The Armenian government has adopted the peace agenda and here we need the determination to implement it. We must all understand that it is not easy, it is not simple, and the possible solutions are not obvious, we must continue to work consistently,” he said.

According to Pashinyan, it is necessary to establish lasting and comprehensive peace in the region.

“We need to focus more and more on solving this problem. There are no other details to share from the meeting because what we agreed on has been briefly presented. In the future, if there are details, proposals, or topics that are to be discussed in the government, with the public, with political forces, we will definitely do it,” the Prime Minister added.

Ruben Vardanyan renouncing his Russian citizenship and moving to Artsakh

Ruben Vardanyan announced his decision to move to Artsakh and create the Artsakh security and development front. He called on the Armenians of the whole world to join the struggle for Artsakh because he considers Artsakh to be “the roots and foundation of Armenia”.  He also mentioned that he renounced his Russian citizenship in order to come to Artsakh as a citizen of Armenia, “because it is right” In addition, Vardanyan appealed to Azerbaijan to stop putting pressure. Vardanyan also thanked the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh. 

RA Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan proposed to create constitutional and legal grounds for the death penalty for committing state treason

Armenian Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan proposed to create constitutional and legal grounds for the death penalty for committing state treason.  The primary ban on sentencing to death and actually applying the punishment in RA is provided by Article 24 of the RA constitution, according to part 3 of which, no one can be sentenced or subjected to the death penalty. Davtyan appealed to the Chairman of the RA Constitutional Reforms Council, Minister of Justice Karen Andreasyan.

Later, the office of the RA Human Rights Defender expressed its position regarding the proposal of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia to the Constitutional Reform Commission to create constitutional grounds for the death penalty for high treason.

“As a member of the Constitutional Reforms Council, the Human Rights Defender, does not even consider the discussion of such a proposal appropriate, because it greatly overshadows the constitutional and democratic values ​​of the right to life and the protection of human rights in general,” the statement reads. 

After a while, the Prosecutor General’s office commented on the opinion of the Human Rights Defender’s office, claiming that the opinion of the Human Rights Defender is superficial and without discussing the deep reasons and justifications of the proposal (including in the Council of Constitutional Reforms). 

The Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Armenia expresses its readiness to present all the necessary justifications and the deep circumstances that led to the submission of such a proposal in the event that a proper discussion on the issue is initiated within the framework of constitutional reforms, in the context of the preventive function of the state’s criminal policy, and the inevitability of punishment for criminal acts.

The former commander of Artsakh Armed Forces Mikael Arzumanyan was detained

The former commander of the Defense Army and chief adviser to the Artsakh president Mikayel Arzumanyan was arrested, his lawyer Yerem Sargsyan reports.

It should be reminded that Arzumanyan’s arrest period expired and he was released yesterday.

Earlier, the Investigative Committee reported that it was found that Lieutenant-General Mikayel Arzumanyan, from October 30 to November 9, 2020, during the organization of the defense of Shushi city and surrounding regions, showed a negligent attitude towards his official duties, not fulfilling and performing them improperly. Such actions negligently caused serious consequences; the armed forces of the enemy took the city of Shushi and its suburbs under their control, and their units suffered casualties and were wounded.

Other News

• RA Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan met the UN Deputy Secretary-General Miroslav Yencha. Lila Peters Yahia, acting permanent coordinator of the United Nations in Armenia, was also present at the meeting.

• The opening ceremony of the international large-scale strategic command and staff exercise “East-2022” was held in one of the military training centers located in the Far Eastern Federal Region of Russia. 

• The government redistributed the state budget and allocated 580 million AMD for the construction, design, and examination of a number of facilities.

• The government will allocate 2 billion 232 million AMD for the implementation of construction works for educational, sports, and cultural institutions and to ensure their property adequacy. The corresponding decision is included in the agenda of today’s government meeting.