Three-day training of trainers (ToT) on “Selected issues of new Criminal Code of Armenia” was organised for 16 trainers of the Justice Academy and School of Advocates on 1-3 October 2021 in Aghveran, Armenia. This was the first ToT held after the adoption of the new Criminal Code on 5 May 2021.

In the first part of the ToT, the participants learnt about the conceptual novelties of the new Criminal Code, its principles and retrospectivity, as well as circumstances excluding responsibility and subject of crime and its complicity. The second part of the ToT was devoted to the discussions on systems of punishments, sentencing, grounds for release from criminal liability and punishment, crimes against property and the person, as well as novelties regarding the crimes against military and public services. In addition, the trainers were equipped with knowledge essential for delivery of high-quality trainings on criminal legislation and were guided to link the newly acquired knowledge with their practical experience and enhanced their skills.

The participants of the ToT were welcomed by Martina Schmidt, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan and by Sergey Arakelyan, Rector of the Justice Academy. Two members of the former Working Group Anna Margaryan and Tigran Simonyan, that was tasked to prepare the new Criminal Code, delivered the training, which was also contributed by Jeremy McBride, CoE international consultant who carried out expertise of the new Code in 2017 and 2019.

The ToT was organised in cooperation with the Justice Academy within the framework of the Project “Supporting the criminal justice reform and harmonising the application of the European standards in Armenia" funded within the European Union and Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance.