Armenian Parliament approves law for new police guard

The Armenian Parliament has officially approved the law establishing the Police Guard in a decisive second reading, with 65 MPs voting in favour and 28 against.

Initially slated for formation in March 2025, the launch of the Police Guard has been postponed to November 2025 due to organizational challenges, Caliber.Az reports citing Armenian media.

Notably, a contentious provision allowing the Prime Minister to issue military orders to the Guard during martial law has been removed from the final version of the law. The structure of command within the Guard will adhere to a traditional hierarchy, but it will have the capacity to conduct special operations in wartime conditions.

Additionally, the law delineates the parameters for deploying special equipment, permitting its use only in the context of anti-terrorist operations or special missions during martial law, while prohibiting its use in other circumstances.

By Vafa Guliyeva