With the draft law, we propose to revise the title of the law, to clarify the existing definitions, to bring them into line with the definitions of the Criminal Code, to include new definitions in the law: Zaruhi Batoyan said at the sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs on February 1.
The key rapporteur, touching upon the draft law on prevention of domestic violence, protection of persons subjected to domestic violence and restoration of family solidarity and the legislative package on making amendments and addenda to the attached laws and a number of codes debated in the first reading, noted that the draft proposes to consider the child who witnessed the violence as a person subjected to violence, to review the terms of urgent intervention and protective decision.
It is also proposed to repeal the definition on the reconciliation procedure, instead of primary medical aid, to establish by law free and preferential medical care and service for persons subjected to domestic violence – not only primary care, but medical care in general.
According to Zaruhi Batoyan, the draft will also set a requirement for the availability of shelters for the victims of violence for persons with disabilities.
Read also
The authors propose to review the aggravating grounds of a number of articles of the RA Criminal Code, the terms and conditions of examination and notification related to the defense decision defined by the RA Civil Procedure Code.
The deputy of the RA NA Armenia Faction Aregnaz Manukyan presented observations on the legislative package.
The key rapporteur, emphasizing the observations, mentioned that she is open to proposals and added that a part of the presented observations, as a proposal of the authors, was presented and accepted.
The co-authors of the legislative initiative, the MPs Sona Ghazaryan and Tsovinar Vardanyan, underlining the necessity to fight against violence, added that the debate is important for our society. Tsovinar Vardanyan pointed out that domestic violence should be identified and toolkits should be created, with which citizens have the opportunity to protect themselves.
“We have a quite successful initiative in terms of content. It is very important for our society to know how to protect their rights under any circumstances,” Sona Ghazaryan said.
“The fight against violence, especially the fight against domestic violence, is among the Government’s priorities,” the representative of the RA Government and the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan said. According to her, there should be such regulations that it is possible to prevent violence in practice.
According to the Deputy Minister, the proposal of the authors is aimed at not leaving the possible subjective framework of domestic violence incomplete and considering it completely within the framework of the new law.
The Committee endorsed the draft law.
The Committee also voted for the decision to convene parliamentary hearings on Legislative reforms to raise the age limit for marriage in the context of the protection of fundamental human rights in the NA session hall on February 15 at 12:00.
INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA