The Constitution of the Republic of Artsakh was the basic law of the Republic of Artsakh. It was approved by the people of Artsakh in a referendum that was held on 20 February 2017. It superseded the constitution previously ratified by the people in 2006. Over 76.5% of the electorate participated in the 2017 referendum.[1] Of these, over 90% voted for its adoption with just under 10% voting against its adoption.[2] 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 stated that the names "Republic of Artsakh" and "Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh" were synonymous. The constitution affirmed 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 had to be ratified by the people in a referendum. Stepanakert was defined as the state's capital. As a result of the Azerbaijani offensive, the constitution was repealed when on 28 September 2023, the president of Artsakh subsequently signed a decree to dissolve all of the republic's institutions by 1 January 2024, under article 93, bringing its existence to an end.[3]
The Constitution consisted of a preamble 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.
| No. of Chapter | Name of Chapter | Articles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Foundations of Constitutional Order | 1–16 | |
| 2 | Fundamental Human and Civil Rights and Freedoms and Obligations | 17–60 | |
| 3 | The President of the Republic | 61–75 | |
| 4 | The National Assembly | 76–98 | |
| 5 | The Government | 99–107 | |
| 6 | Judicial Power | 108–116 | |
| 7 | The Prosecution | 117–118 | |
| 8 | The Defender of Human Rights | 119–120 | |
| 9 | The Oversight Chamber | 121–122 | |
| 10 | Local Self-Government | 123–132 | |
| 11 | Adoption of Constitution, Amendments and Referendum | 133–136 | |
| 12 | Final and transitional provisions | 137–142 |