Armenian MP proposes expanding law on "evaders"

ArmInfo.On December 11, the Armenian government approved a bill drafted by Hayk Sargsyan, member of the ruling Civil Contract faction in the National Assembly, which expands the scope of the law on "evaders." The document will be submitted for discussion to the National Assembly in January 2026.

"With this bill, I propose expanding the opportunities provided by  the previous law, which I authored and which was adopted in January  2024," Sargsyan wrote on social media. Under this bill, citizens aged  27 to 37 (who have not completed mandatory military service) may be  exempt from criminal liability by voluntarily choosing one of five  options:  1. Serving 24 months, 2. Serving 12 months and paying 2.5  million drams to the state budget, 3. Serving 6 months and paying 5  million drams to the state budget, 4. Serving 1 month and paying 8  million drams to the state budget, 5. Paying 15 million drams to the  state budget in lieu of military service.

The statute of limitations for criminal prosecution and the  aforementioned requirements allow for up to 37 years for regular  conscription service and 45 years for reserve officer service.  Armenian citizens who obtained citizenship of another country after  the age of 27 are exempt from service if they have served in the army  of their host country for 12 months or more. Otherwise, they are  exempt from service by paying 2.5 million drams. "One year and 10  months have passed since the law was adopted, and today there are  1,110 wanted individuals who turned 27 after the law's adoption. Part  2 of Article 5 of the law must be repealed so that individuals who  turned 27 after the law's adoption can also benefit from its  provisions.  Otherwise, they will not return to the Republic of  Armenia but will have to wait until they reach 37, at which point the  criminal case will be dismissed due to the expiration of the statute  of limitations. We will lose both human and financial potential,"  Sargsyan clarified.

The author of the initiative also noted that after the law's entry  into force, from February 12, 2024 to August 1, 2025, 197 citizens  have benefited from it, served and/or paid the required fees, and are  registered in the reserves of the Armed Forces of the Republic of  Armenia. 1,904,000,000 drams (5 million US dollars) were transferred  to the state budget.