Euro Union and OSCE/ODIHR after a joint expertise have concluded that the recent amendments to the Armenian law on independence of demonstrations are very concerning. The speaker of the Armenian parliament has asked the ODIHR experts’ group and Venice commission to discuss the amendments to the law on demonstrations and rallies adopted on March 17. “According to the preliminary estimation, the ODIHR experts’ group and Venice commission don’t think that the proposed amendments should be accepted reasoning that such amendments are significantly limiting demonstrations,” informs the joint conclusion. It writes that such amendments are restricting the provisions on spontaneous demonstrations, are not allowing small gatherings become bigger demonstrations, which used to be a good example and a step to development in the previous law. The joint conclusion has been presented to the parliament and it will be discussed on April 15-16 with the Armenian parliamentarians.
