Armenia 1995 Constitution (reviewed 2015)

CHAPTER 8. THE PROSECUTION OFFICE AND THE INVESTIGATIVE ORGANS

Article 176. The Prosecution Office

1. The prosecution office is a unified system that is led by the Prosecutor General.
2. The prosecution office shall, in the cases and manner stipulated by law:
   1. Initiate criminal prosecution;
   2. Supervise the lawfulness of the pre-trial criminal proceedings;
   3. Defend the charges in court;
   4. Appeal the rulings, judgments, and decisions of courts; and
   5. Supervise the lawfulness of enforcement of sentences and other coercive measures.
3. In exceptional cases stipulated by law and in the manner stipulated by law, the prosecution office shall initiate a claim in court for the protection of state interests.
4. The prosecution office shall operate within the framework of the powers reserved for it by the Constitution, on the basis of law.
5. The procedure of formation and functioning of the prosecution office shall be stipulated by law.

Article 177. The Prosecutor General

1. The prosecutor general shall, upon nomination by the competent standing committee of the National Assembly, be elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term by at least a three-fifths majority vote of the total number of parliamentarians. The same person may not be elected as prosecutor general for more than two consecutive terms.
2. A lawyer with higher education, who has attained the age of 35, is a citizen of only the Republic of Armenia, has voting right, and has strong professional qualities and at least 10 years of professional work experience may be elected as the prosecutor general. The law may stipulated additional requirements for the prosecutor general.
3. In cases stipulated by law, the National Assembly may dismiss the prosecutor general by at least a three-fifths majority vote of the total number of parliamentarians.

Article 178. The Investigative Organs

1. The investigative organs shall, in the cases and manner stipulated by law, organize and conduct the pre-trial criminal proceedings.
2. The status and powers of investigative organs and the procedure of their formation and operation shall be stipulated by law.