Armenia toughens punishment for evading military service

ArmInfo. It is proposed to toughen  the punishment for evading conscription for military or alternative  service, as well as training camps in Armenia. On April 3, the  government approved the draft law <On Amendments to the Criminal Code  of the Republic of Armenia>.

As stated in the explanatory note to the document, the rising number  of cases of evasion of military or alternative service and training  camps (1,499 criminal cases were initiated under Articles 461 and 462  of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia in 2023, and 1,779  criminal cases in 2024) indicates the necessity to review the  criminal policy and implement stricter policy against persons who  have committed the above-mentioned acts.  Specifically, the bill  suggests to change the sanction provided for in Article 461 -  <imprisonment> for a term of 2-5 years to 3-6 years, and Article 462  - to establish a fine of 15 to 30 times the minimum wage, and to  replace the punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of  <maximum two years> with a punishment in the form of imprisonment for  a term of <from one year to three years>.