The Constitution of the Republic of Artsakh is the
basic law of the
Republic of Artsakh
Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh () or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (),, is a breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Artsakh controls a part of the former ...
. It was approved by the people of Artsakh in a
referendum
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a Representative democr ...
that was held on 20 February 2017. It supersedes the constitution previously ratified by the people in 2006. Over 76.5% of the electorate participated in the 2017
referendum
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a Representative democr ...
. Of these, over 90% voted for its adoption with just under 10% voting against its adoption.
Official website of the President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
/ref> This constitution proclaimed the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to be a sovereign, democratic state that was based on social justice and the rule of law. The constitution states that the names "Republic of Artsakh" and "Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh" are synonymous. The constitution affirms that all power is vested in its citizens, who exercise it directly through constitutional referendums and indirectly through their elected representatives. Proposed changes to the constitution or to an alteration of the borders of the State must be ratified by the people in a referendum. Stepanakert is defined as the state's capital.
Structure
The Constitution consists of a preamble
A preamble is an introductory and expressionary statement in a document that explains the document's purpose and underlying philosophy. When applied to the opening paragraphs of a statute, it may recite historical facts pertinent to the subj ...
and 12 chapters.
We, the people of Artsakh:
– filled with the spirit of freedom;
– realizing the dream of our ancestors and the natural right of people to lead a free and secure life in the Homeland and to create;
– showing a firm will to develop and defend the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh formed on September 2, 1991 on the basis of the right of self-determination and proclaimed independent by a referendum conducted on December 10, 1991;
as a free, sovereign state of citizens with equal rights, where a human being, his life and security, rights and freedoms are of supreme value,
– affirming faithfulness to the principles of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic adopted on January 6, 1992;
– recalling with gratitude the heroic struggle of our ancestors and present generations for the restoration of freedom, bowing to the memory of the perished in a war forced upon us;
– fulfilled with the power of unity of all Armenians of the world;
– reviving the historic traditions of statehood in Artsakh;
– aspiring to establish good-neighborly relations with all peoples, first of all with our neighbors, on the basis of equality, mutual respect and peaceful co-existence;
– staying faithful to the just world order in conformity with universal values of the International law
– recognizing our own responsibility for the fate of our historic Homeland before present and future generations;
– exercising our sovereign right,
– for us, for generations to come and for those that will wish to live in Artsakh, adopt and proclaim this Constitution.
See also
* Constitution of Armenia
The Constitution of Armenia was adopted by a nationwide Armenian referendum on July 5, 1995. This constitution established Armenia as a democratic, sovereign, social, and constitutional state. Yerevan is defined as the state's capital. Power ...
* Politics of Armenia
References
External links
Constitution of 2017
Constitution of 2006
{{Constitutions of Asia
Politics of the Republic of Artsakh
Artsakh
2017 in law
2017 documents
Constitution of the Republic of Artsakh