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Armenia’s parliament passed in the first reading a package of legislative amendments aimed at preventing domestic violence and protecting victims, with 62 votes in favor and 34 abstentions.
Before the vote, the opposition Armenia and Strong Armenia factions announced that they would abstain, noting that they had proposals and objections regarding the initiative.
Armenia faction MP Lilit Galstyan said she had personally submitted 12 proposals to the authors of the package.
“I am now speaking on behalf of the Armenia Alliance. I personally submitted 12 proposals to the authors of the draft. We will abstain from voting on this draft, also in the belief that our proposals, as well as the concerns and apprehensions expressed by the professional community and the public, will receive a response. So we will abstain,” Galstyan said.
Speaking on behalf of the Strong Armenia faction, MP Hasmik Yengoyan said they would submit their proposals after the first reading.
“We, too, have serious objections and proposals regarding the package on domestic violence, which we will present after the first reading. At this stage, we will abstain,” she said.
According to Yengoyan, the faction will decide how to vote on the final version of the package based on the authors’ response to the proposed amendments. In her assessment, the law is flawed and its implications are unpredictable, making substantial revisions necessary.
MP Zaruhi Batoyan of the Civil Contract faction, who presented the legislative package, said the amendments aim to improve protection for victims of domestic violence and ensure a more victim-centered investigation of cases.
The proposed amendments would toughen penalties for domestic violence, eliminate warnings as a protective measure, and expand safeguards for victims. They would also restrict the use of house arrest for an accused person if the accused and the victim live together and it is not possible to ensure that they reside separately. As a rule, victims would be questioned only once, unless it becomes necessary to clarify newly discovered circumstances.
During the debate, Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan said that, as of September 29, 2026, 93 cases of repeated violence had been recorded after warnings were issued, while 316 cases had been recorded following emergency intervention orders. She said the sector faces both legislative and law enforcement challenges.