Interior Minister presents Government’s support for domestic violence prevention legislation

Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan presented the Government’s support for a legislative package aimed at preventing family and domestic violence at an extraordinary meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs.

According to Armenia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, the package was developed as part of a large-scale campaign against domestic violence initiated by the Prime Minister’s wife, Anna Hakobyan.

The minister stressed the importance of several measures proposed in the package. In particular, the continuation of proceedings in domestic violence cases should not depend on a complaint from the victim or the prosecutor’s discretion.

The proposals also envisage placing perpetrators on a preventive register to ensure they remain a focus of police attention, including where there is no risk of repeat violence. The package proposes removing the possibility of exemption from criminal liability on the grounds of reconciliation with the victim or repentance.

The measures also provide for separating perpetrators from victims and electronically monitoring compliance with restrictions on approaching victims, so that those subjected to violence are not forced to leave their homes.

The importance of strengthening the capacities of the responsible authorities and implementing mandatory rehabilitation programmes to change perpetrators’ behaviour and prevent repeat violence was also highlighted.

Sargsyan also presented statistics, stressing that the increase in reports of domestic violence reflected growing trust in the police and greater public willingness to report such incidents.

The minister said that if adopting the law could save even one domestic violence victim’s life, the bill should unquestionably be voted through.