Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

You can find HCA Vanadzor contacts for remote legal consultation HERE

In recent days, HCA Vanadzor has been receiving calls regarding restrictions on movement and exceptions to those restrictions in the state of emergency.

Citizens often give the questions stated below 👇

❓1․ Does a citizen have the right to move from city to city in order to go to a hospital in the state of emergency?

❓2․ Are there any other exceptions to the restriction of movement in the state of emergency?

❓3․ While moving with family members, does the restriction of the presence of only one person in a car work?

According to the Commandant’s decision N. 27, dated March 31, 2020, “On the restrictions applied in the whole territory of the Republic of Armenia due to the legal regime of the state of emergency”, restrictions are put in place for the right to move freely. In accordance with Appendix N 1 of the decision, on the whole territory of the Republic of Armenia, the right to move freely is restricted and mandatory self-isolation of persons is established in their permanent residence place or in another place of their choice. 

But point 4.4 of the same appendix defines exceptions to the restriction of movement. Those exceptions also include visits to hospitals or other medical institutions.  For this purpose, one should fill in the movement sheet enclosed, and fill in about the need to visit a hospital or a medical institution in the “purpose” section, as well as have an identification document.

Exceptions to restrictions on movement also include movements with the purpose of doing agricultural or horticultural work, movement towards the place of residence or accommodation of persons in need of care, movement towards places of funeral or memorial services. 

In regard to the requirement of transporting only one passenger by passenger cars, point 7 of the invoked decision envisages that the restriction on movement is not applicable for transportation of children, if family members accompany them in the car (provided that a document certifying their kinship is shown), as well as in case employees are being transported to the same employer. In the context of this point, family members are husband, wife, child, parent, sister, brother. 

It can be concluded from the above-mentioned, that in case of movement in a manner prescribed by the procedure set by this decision, the citizen should carry an identification document and movement sheet, where he/she should show the puspose of movement. In regard to being transported together with family members, the restriction of transportation of only one person is not applicable and also, there is no limit to the number of persons being transported. Therefore, family members can be transported in a car, however, besides an identification document, they should also show documents certifying their kinship. 

In case of problems or other questions, citizens can call the hotline of the commandant’s office (8141) or Tigran Avinyan’s office (010-51-59-69).