🪧 Organizing a Public Assembly in Armenia – Key Legal Guidelines
This is a concise summary of the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Freedom of Assembly" – for anyone planning to organize a public gathering or protest.
✅ Who Can Organize an Assembly
- Any individual or legal entity (including foreigners and stateless persons).
- Persons under 14 require written consent from legal guardians.
- Judges, Constitutional Court members, military and law enforcement officers cannot organize political assemblies (must remain neutral).
📌 Do You Need to Notify Authorities?
- Yes, if the assembly will have more than 100 participants.
- No, if 100 or fewer participants – no notification required.
- Spontaneous and urgent assemblies are allowed without prior notice but must not exceed 6 hours.
- ⚠️ If there is an actual organizer, they should cooperate with the police even without formal notice.
📅 Notification Deadlines
- Must be submitted no earlier than 30 days and no later than 7 days before the assembly.
- ⚠️ If time, location, route, or purpose changes – a new notification is required.
📝 What the Notification Must Include
- Place and time of the assembly
- Purpose of the assembly
- Expected number of participants
- Items/technical tools to be used (banners, torches, speakers, etc.)
- Number of stewards (volunteer regulators)
- Route and schedule (if it's a march)
- Organizer’s passport or ID information (with a copy)
- Organizer’s contact information
- If using private or leased space – written consent from the owner or tenant
- If organizer is under 14 – written parental or guardian consent
🚫 When Authorities Can Restrict or Ban the Assembly
- To protect others’ constitutional rights or the public interest (security, order, health, etc.)
- If the goal is to overthrow the government, incite hatred, violence or war
- If held too close to:
- The residences of the President, Government, Courts, etc.
- Nuclear plants, gas storage, or other strategic facilities
- ⚠️ Authorities must propose alternatives (e.g. different time/place) before banning
- ⚠️ The presence of a counter-demonstration is not a valid reason to ban, unless there's an immediate risk of conflict
📣 During the Assembly
Participants Must:
- Not carry weapons or weapon-like items
- Follow instructions from the organizer or stewards
- Not block entrances/exits or interfere with other activities
- Leave immediately if expelled or after the event ends
Organizer Must:
- Announce their name, and purpose at the start
- Be available to the police
- Take measures to ensure peaceful order, prevent violence
- Inform participants of any police requirements
- May appoint stewards wearing white armbands labeled “Regulator” (no other signs allowed)
Police Must:
- Appoint a representative and inform parties
- Ensure public safety and peaceful conduct
- Remove those seriously disrupting the assembly
- ⚠️ If notification requirements are violated, may declare the assembly unlawful – but must still support peaceful conduct
⛔ Ending or Dispersing an Assembly
- Only if others’ rights or public interest cannot be protected otherwise
- Police must first request the organizer to end the event
- If ignored:
- Two warnings are issued via loudspeaker with a reasonable deadline
- Then the police may disperse the assembly, including use of legal special measures if necessary
- ⚠️ Spontaneous and urgent assemblies may not last more than 6 hours
⚖️ Legal Remedies
- The organizer can challenge any decision by the authorities in court