Mesrop Arakelyan: Armenian authorities` inaction and political  irresponsibility directly threaten public safety

ArmInfo.Mesrop Arakelyan, co-founder of the "Country to Live" party, has responded to the bloody incident  in Yerevan's Ajapnyak community on February 18.

"Yerevan has recorded another armed incident in broad daylight, unfortunately, once again with a tragic outcome. This tragic situation is not just an isolated case, but also clear evidence that the free and uncontrolled proliferation of weapons in our country has become a reality, a criminal threat to society. Such incidents, which occur repeatedly, demonstrate that the lives of our citizens are not protected, and the inaction and political irresponsibility of the authorities directly threaten public safety," the co-founder of the "Country to Live" party noted.

Arakelyan mentioned that a law allowing the possession of weapons without strict controls and mandatory inspections is a direct path to not only disproportionate violence but also  a deadly threat in the daily lives of citizens. He estimates that at least 10,000 weapons remain unaccounted for since the last war in Artsakh, and each one could potentially become a tool of crime and death.

"The punishment outlined in the Criminal Code for illegal possession of weapons is absurd and tragic: 80- 150 hours of community service, up to two years of restricted freedom, or up to two months of imprisonment. The punishment for illegal possession of weapons in our country must be immediately toughened, upgrading it from a 'not very serious' offense to a serious one," Mesrop Arakelyan emphasized.