Armen Martirossian, Armenian Deputy Minister for Foreign...

Armen Martirossian, Armenian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, announced at a seminar held in Tsakhkadzor that there should be unanimous backing for the abolition of capital punishment from Armenia's legislation. According to Martirossian, prior to the terrorist act on October 27, 1999, all of Armenia's political forces expressed their unanimous support of the abolition of capital punishment in the country. However the new Criminal Code of Armenia approved by the National Assembly in the first reading stipulated capital punishment for terrorism, first-degree murder, and the raping of a minor.