Meeting of the Eurasian Ombudsmen
Alliance (EOA) was held by video conference on April 29.
The human rights situation in the
context of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) was discussed with the participation
of Ombudspersons from Russia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz
Republic, Serbia and a number of other countries. The meeting was also
dedicated to the rights of veterans of World War II.
In his speech, Mr. Arman Tatoyan welcomed
the meeting of the EOA, considering it as a best example of international cooperation,
which is an important platform in terms of protecting human rights and exchanging
relevant experience.
In the first part of the meeting, the
Defender noted that the protection of the rights of each of the participants of
World War II is in the center of his attention: social guarantees, in
particular, pension payments, medical service issues, etc. All
of these issues are addressed in the annual and ad hoc reports of the Human
Rights Defender.
During the meeting, Mr. Arman Tatoyan
also referred to the peculiarities of the Human Rights Defender’s activities and
challenges in the protection of rights during the State of Emergency due to
COVID-19.
The Defender indicated that the
Defender’s Office works in 24/7 regime. Reference was also made to the
unprecedented growth of individual applications and hotline calls, which mostly
concern the limitations of the freedom of movement during the State of Emergency,
labor rights, family reunions, etc.
The Human Rights Defender underlined
the importance of awareness-raising activities during the State of Emergency.
The Defender presented the guide of the Human Rights Defender on the new coronavirus
and human rights in the State of Emergency, that was published in braille, and
translated into English and Russian, as well as into the languages of national
minorities living in Armenia (Kurdish, Yazidi, Assyria, Hindi). A special guide
for children has also been published.
The Human
Rights Defender expressed special gratitude to the Commissioner for Human
Rights in the Russian Federation Ms. Tatyana Moskalkova and the Human Rights
Commissioner in Sverdlovsk region, as well as to the Ombudsman of the Kyrgyz
Republic in supporting family reunions during the State of Emergency when state
borders were closed.
The
representatives of the National Human Rights Institutions who took part in the
meeting emphasized the importance of effective cooperation between partner institutions
from the perspective of human rights protection.
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