ArmInfo. In less than six months, 53 draft dodgers took advantage of the opportunity to avoid criminal prosecution by serving a certain period in the army or by transferring money to the state budget. The Armenian Ministry of Defense reported this in response to a written request from ArmInfo.
In particular, 39 people over 27 years old, who at one time abandoned the army, paid the required 15 million drams (more than $37 thousand) into the state budget required by law and avoided criminal liability. Another 5 citizens with a similar status expressed their willingness to undergo compulsory military service as privates for a period of 24 months, and 9 people wished to pay 8 million drams and serve for 1 month.
As explained by the Defense Ministry of Armenia, persons wishing to take advantage of this opportunity can contact the Service for Conscription and Mobilization of the RA Ministry of Defense at their place of residence for military registration, as well as the body carrying out criminal prosecution against them in connection with evasion conscription for military service.
As the author of the legislative initiative, "Civil Contract" deputy Hayk Sargsyan, stated, 10 thousand young people who have evaded military service are currently being sought, of which 5 thousand are over 27 years old. And according to current legislation, Armenian citizens aged 27 years and older who have not served, even if they surrender, are subject to criminal punishment for a period of five years. The presented document is intended to resolve this problem and, in the case of service in the Armed Forces, to avoid criminal prosecution. The statute of limitations for criminal prosecution and these requirements is up to 37 years in the case of regular military service and 45 years in the case of service as a reserve officer. Citizens of Armenia who received citizenship of another country after 27 years of age are exempt from service if they have previously served in the army of the country where they are located for 12 months or more. Otherwise, they are released from service upon payment of 2.5 million drams. According to the initiator of the changes, from 500 to 1 thousand people will take advantage of this law within a year.
