Nona Galstyan: “The Coalition’s Recommendations were more not accepted than accepted”

Compared with the previous draft, the draft law was more specifically outlined and the scope was further clarified, –  lawyer Nona Galstyan, a representative of the Women’s Support Center NGO, gives this assessment to the draft law “On Prevention of Domestic Violence, Protection of Domestic Violence victims and Restoration of Solidarity in the Family”. According to the lawyer, this project has been exposed to both positive and negative changes as compared to the previous version.

Nona Galstyan is one of the few attorneys who represent the interests of those who have been subjected to domestic violence in the investigative bodies and the courts. She participated in drafting the recommendations made by the Coalition to Stop Violence against Women on the previous version of the bill. The lawyer notes that the Ministry of Justice did not accept the most important proposals stemming from the Coalition’s position. “The Coalition’s proposals were more not accepted than accepted, as there were considerable considerations that were more valuable in terms of content and use but were not accepted”.

For example, the proposal to criminalize all forms of violence and, as a consequence, provide for criminal liability, has not been accepted, which, according to Nona Galstyan, is very alarming for non-governmental organizations in the area.

However, some suggestions that the attorney considers to be less important include, for example, ignoring or forcing a forced pregnancy abortion as a form of violence, and accepting a private prosecution procedure in the ex ex officio procedure (in its official capacity).

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