Armenian parliament approves fivefold increase in maximum legal fines set for defamation.

YEREVAN, February 11. /ARKA/. By a vote of 72 to 30 and 2 abstentions the Armenian parliament passed Thursday in the first reading a bill that raises the amount of fines for insult and slander to 5 million and 10 million drams ($19,200), respectively.

The bill was drafted in 2020 by Deputy Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan, who said on Thursday that its adoption is important in terms of protecting the honor and dignity of a person from slander and insults, and will also allow citizens to receive more reliable information.

Deputy Minister of Justice Vahe Danielyan objected to the sharp toughening of defamation penalties. saying that a reasonable balance must be ensured between constitutional values: freedom of speech and honor and dignity.

'We propose that the amount of fine for insult be raised up to 2 million drams, and for libel up to 3 million drams. The fine in case of a criminal liability, according to our Criminal Code, cannot exceed 3 million drams," the deputy minister said. 

All forms of libel were decriminalized in Armenia in 2010.. ($1 - 523.13 drams). --0--