YEREVAN. – Opposition MP Edmon Marukyan’s bill, and with respect to making amendments in the Criminal Code of Armenia, was approved at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting.

Marukyan proposes to toughen the Criminal Code punishment for voting more than once, or voting in the stead of someone else, during an election in the country. 

The current law specifies a 500 to 700 thousand-dram (approx. $1,040-1,455) fine, or a 2- to 3-year prison sentence for the aforesaid offense, whereas Marukyan proposes to uphold solely the imprisonment.

Initially, the government had issued a negative view considering this approach to be very harsh. In particular, Government Chief of Staff-Minister Davit Harutyunyan had strongly opposed this bill.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, however, had supported this law measure.