Parliament Discusses Bill on 'Thieves in Law' in Second Reading

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia is discussing the bill on individuals and groups with a criminal subculture, referred to as 'thieves in law', for its second reading and full adoption. Justice Minister Rustam Badasyan presented the bill during the parliamentary session on January 21.

The draft law proposes to establish criminal liability for granting, obtaining, or maintaining the highest rank in the criminal hierarchy. It also addresses the creation or leadership of a criminal subculture group, participation or involvement in such a group, and soliciting a participant of a criminal subculture group or a person with a high rank in the criminal hierarchy to obtain material or non-material benefits or other advantages through the use of their illegal influence.

The creation or leadership of a criminal subculture group is punishable by imprisonment for a term of five to ten years, with or without confiscation of property. The act specified in the first part of this article, when committed by: 1) a person held in a correctional facility, 2) using official position, 3) a member of the armed forces or other military units, 4) with the involvement of a minor, 5) by a person with the highest rank in the criminal hierarchy, is punishable by imprisonment for a term of eight to twelve years, with or without confiscation of property.