Armenia criminalizes electoral bribery and fraud
07.09.2018,
12:35
The Armenian parliament has approved today in the second and final reading a set of legislative changes that criminalize election bribery.
YEREVAN, September 7. /ARKA/. The Armenian parliament has approved today in the second and final reading a set of legislative changes that criminalize election bribery.
First Deputy Minister of Justice Artur Hovhanisyan said the changes set a tougher criminal punishment for offering people various enticements to vote for a particular candidate or party in return for cash or something else. He said the crime of electoral bribery has been moved from the Code of Administrative Offenses to the Criminal Code.
He said the changes provide not only for punishment in the form of a fine, but also for imprisonment. In particular, giving an election bribe leads to a fine of 2.5-3 million drams or to 2-3- month arrest or imprisonment.
According to him, the changes ban any charitable activity during the pre-election campaign. He also noted that receiving or demanding a bribe is also criminalized.
At the request of MPs, criminalization of the promise to vote for a candidate and the disclosure of the secret of ballot were removed from the bill, but only for those cases when it is not done for mercenary purposes.
"We really should ensure that citizens elect freely and easily," Hovhanisyan said. ($ 1 - 484.52 drams). --0--
First Deputy Minister of Justice Artur Hovhanisyan said the changes set a tougher criminal punishment for offering people various enticements to vote for a particular candidate or party in return for cash or something else. He said the crime of electoral bribery has been moved from the Code of Administrative Offenses to the Criminal Code.
He said the changes provide not only for punishment in the form of a fine, but also for imprisonment. In particular, giving an election bribe leads to a fine of 2.5-3 million drams or to 2-3- month arrest or imprisonment.
According to him, the changes ban any charitable activity during the pre-election campaign. He also noted that receiving or demanding a bribe is also criminalized.
At the request of MPs, criminalization of the promise to vote for a candidate and the disclosure of the secret of ballot were removed from the bill, but only for those cases when it is not done for mercenary purposes.
"We really should ensure that citizens elect freely and easily," Hovhanisyan said. ($ 1 - 484.52 drams). --0--
