The ARF-Dashnaktsutyun Supremee Council of Armenia recently announced that the ARF Supreme Assembly of Armenia will convene in late June.

Currently, the ARF ranks in Armenia are considering several documents to be adopted at the Supreme Assembly.

Among the documents are several options regarding the ARF socioeconomic and political platform in Armenia.

Another document is a draft for a new set of organizational bylaws. According to the draft, the Republican Assembly and the Republican Committee of Armenia would be the supreme party authorities in Armenia. Provision is made for regional structures, corresponding to the administrative districts of Armenia, and localities will be authorized to conduct activities through both district committees and specialized committees.

After months of silence, Armenia’s authorities recently resumed their assault on the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun. Responding to questions put to Justice Minister Marat Alexanian, by Ruben Hakopyan, the sole ARF member in the Armenian National Assembly (parliament), on May 30, in a statement published in the official press,the “Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia warns that all the party’s meetings and assemblies, as well as the planned General Assembly, are illegal.”

The Ministry of Justice disregards the fact, that according to the Law on Social-Political Organizations, the activities of any political party could be suspended or banned only by the Supreme Court, which, in spite of a motion by the Justice Ministry to that effect, has refrained from rendering any such ruling.

Following the Justice Ministry’s announcement, the ARF Executive Council of Armenia has had a long meeting with the Minister of Justice. During the meeting, the ARF representatives have demonstrated that the Law on Social-Political Organizations is incomplete, since it outlines how a party may be suspended, without, however, specifying mechanisms by which the party may be reinstated, thus, in-effect serving as a ban. The ARF has indicated that it will continue consultations with the Justice Ministry to reinstate the legal status of the party.

The ARF Supreme Assembly of Armenia is to commence on June 28, 1996. Representatives elected directly by the membership – rather than the regional assemblies – will participate at the Supreme Assembly.

ARF News
May 1996, Volume 1.3(3)