The Human Rights Defender, Ms. Kristinne Grigoryan took part in the 12th session of the RA-EU Human Rights Dialogue.

On November 7, the Human Rights Defender, Ms. Kristinne Grigoryan took part in the session of the RA-EU Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels.

In her speech, the Defender presented the conclusions of the Institution about the situation of human rights, challenges and opportunities in Armenia.

Ms. Grigoryan presented gross violations of human rights as a result of the military attack by Azerbaijan on the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia in September, inter alia direct targeting of the civilian population and vital infrastructures, torture of Armenian servicemen and prisoners of war, cases of inhumane and ill-treatment, as well as the facts recorded in the ad hoc reports published by the Defender.

Within the framework of the thematic sessions on the situation of human rights in Armenia, Ms. Kristinne Grigoryan referred to the National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights and the results of the implementation of the 2020-2022 action plan deriving from that National Strategy, the importance of improving its monitoring and evaluation mechanisms within the framework of the new 2023-2025 action plan, the issues of local elections, the main challenges of ensuring freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, the atmosphere of hate speech and intolerance during the assemblies; the need to adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, combat against domestic violence, the problems of the right to health care in penitentiary institutions, the issues related to the application of the new Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes.

The representatives of the European Union reaffirmed the EU commitment to continue supporting the activities of the Defender’s Institution, including through capacity development of the Defender’s Office.

In her speech, the Defender also spoke about the establishment and main goals of Public Councils on the Protection of Women’s Rights and on the Protection of Children’s and Youth Rights adjunct to the Defender.