Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Regarding the project "Amendments to Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence, Protection of Victims of Domestic Violence and Restoration of Family Solidarity"

We were very surprised to be informed that the controversial draft of the law "Amendments to Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence, Protection of Victims of Domestic Violence and Restoration of Family Solidarity" is being discussed again in the National Assembly.

The Church welcomes every initiative, including a legal document, designed to exclude violence both in the family and in any other social environment. Any manifestation of violence is reprehensible, and all people are under God's unchanging care, because the Holy Scripture testifies the word of the Lord that: "I will be God to them, and they will be sons to me" (Revelation 21:7).

However, some formulations and concepts in the project are highly unacceptable.

In particular, the concept of "domestic violence" introduced in the title and content of the project is very vague and spatial, contradicts the goal of preventing violence within the family and artificially expands the scope of the law's regulation.

More than worrying is the innovation of the concept of "partner" in the draft, where it is defined. "partner: a person with whom there is a relationship, which is characterized by love, regardless of the circumstances of cohabitation or having love affair with each other". Along with this, the project does not rule out in any way that same-gender persons can also be considered partners, whose union will, in fact, be equated with the concept of family.

The family is the union of love between a man and a woman, united in God's will and blessed by procreation. The traditional understanding of family is ontologically important to our nation and cannot be negotiable.

Therefore, the prevention of violence should not be used as an opportunity to distort the traditional perception of the family. Violence, like any other evil, must be prevented and combated by means that do not cause the evil to worsen and new violence to arise.

Now, taking into account the above mentioned, as well as a number of other worrying formulations and innovations, the Legal Advisory Committee of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin considers such an initiative unacceptable and urges the factions of the National Assembly and deputies to reject the adoption of the project.

The result of each deputy's vote will make evident his attitude and responsibility towards his own family, his own children and generations, and his loyalty to traditional Christian family values.

We wish the deputies of the National Assembly an effective service in favor of the strengthening of our country and the strengthening of our national identity.