Armenian law requires virtually all male citizens aged between 18 and 27 to serve in the country’s armed forces for 18 months. Refusal to do so is a crime punishable by five years in prison.
The bill drafted by Hayk Sargsian, a parliament deputy from the ruling Civil Contract party, and passed by the National Assembly in the second and final reading will give fugitive draft dodgers aged between 27 and 37 a range of options to avoid prosecution.
In particular, they will be able to turn themselves in and perform a two-year service or legally evade it by paying the state 15 million drams ($40,000). They could also serve in the Armenian army for shorter periods in exchange for smaller fees.
Sargsian said last month that more than 1,200 Armenian men are currently wanted by law-enforcement authorities on draft evasion charges. They are believed to have fled the country years ago. The bill will allow them to return home and “start a new life” there, the lawmaker said during a parliament debate.
The parliament declared an amnesty for draft dodgers in 2021. More than 1,300 of them took advantage of it.
Armenia already had a similar amnesty-for-cash scheme from 2004-2019. Officials say that some 10,000 fugitive men used it to avoid prosecution during those years.
