Scientists and animal rights groups have developed a special declaration on the rights of dolphins and want it to be approved at the legislative level.

If the bill on dolphins is passed, then attacks of fishermen, as well as keeping dolphins in zoos will be a criminal offense.

The bill says representative of cetaceans - whales, dolphins and belugas - has the right to life and nobody has the right to own these creatures or do something that infringes their rights, liberty or the rules, NEWSru.com reports.

Last year Armenian environmentalists filed a lawsuit against the Armenian Ministry of Nature Protection demanding that court should order the ministry to conduct an inquiry into construction project of the Yerevan dolphinarium.

The Nemo dolphinarium was opened in 2010 December in the territory of one of the Yerevan parks. Environmentalists objected to the idea, saying the dolphins would not survive in Armenia.