11:20, 13 June 2008

European experts discuss changes in Armenian law on rallies

Today, the Venetian Commission of the Council of Europe has started discussing the changes in the Law of Armenia "On Rallies, Meetings, Marches and Demonstrations", which had been passed in the second reading.

In the opinion of the opposition and some Armenian specialists, even the amended version fixes a very tough framework for organizers of rallies and assemblies.

In the course of the discussion, Tigran Torosyan, Speaker of the Parliament, has stated that the authors of the bill, himself inclusive, kept permanent contact and discussions with the experts of the Office for Democratic Institutes and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe), and on all the changes "they have positive conclusions."

The Venetian Commission will debate on the amended bill for two days, and on Monday, June 16, will pass its conclusions to the OSCE ODIHR.

Author: Lilit Ovanisyan, CK correspondent