The only topic of today's press conference of the Republic of
Armenia (RA) Human Rights Defender was the issue of guaranteeing the Defender's
institutional independence.
Instead of substantively discussing and proposing a solution to
this issue, the Government responded only to the secondary issue with its
spokesperson’s statement regarding the ombudsman's personal participation in
Government sessions.
We would like to emphasize that it has been a common practice
for many years when also the Ombudsman's representative, rather than the
Ombudsman himself, participated in government sessions. This has been the
practice by all the Human Rights Defenders at all times.
For objective reasons, the Human Rights Defender did not have
the opportunity to personally attend several sessions of the Government resumed
after the war due to the sharp increase in work and applications for
assistance, as well as frequent visits to Syunik and Gegharkunik regions to
compile the finding of those visits in order to present them to international
organizations.
Moreover, during all of this time, no one from the Government
has communicated either orally or would in writing with the Human Rights
Defender's staff indicating that the Government expects the Human Rights
Defender to attend its sessions in person.
The Ombudsman's participation in Government sittings is not a
duty but a right, and it is unclear how this issue can be discussed in a
context of causing negative consequences for the Ombudsman Institution.
We note that the Constitution does not give officials,
especially high-ranking government officials, the right to respond to the
Ombudsman's statements in either political and particularly in an manner, but
rather, with a direct obligation to support the Ombudsman's activities.
This is the responsibility of all state and local
self-government bodies, as well as organizations and officials enshrined in
Article 191 of the Constitution and Article 9 of the Constitutional Law on the
Human Rights Defender, as set forth and undertaken by international treaties of
the Republic of Armenia.
The Human Rights Defender's Office notes that the publication of
the high-ranking representative of the Government, specially its spokesperson,
was immediately followed by the statement of the deputy of the ruling faction
of the National Assembly. That statement, repeating the same words of the
Government representative, diverted the only topic of the press conference.
Moreover, the MP's statement contains obvious ironic remarks
addressed to the Human Rights Defender, and under that statement is replete and
quite full of insulting and hateful remarks addressed to the Human Rights
Defender and the Defender's Office.
Further, the deputy's statement was posted almost immediately on
the official Facebook page of the ruling faction of the National Assembly
"My Step", where posts were made with insulting and hateful elements,
clearly distorting the legal status and role of the Human Rights Defender.
We emphasize that the state is obliged to ensure the normal and
protected activity of the Human Rights Defender in conditions of real
independent work with institutional guarantees.
Therefore, we consider the issues and discussions deviating from
the only topic of the press conference, and the issue of guaranteeing the
institutional independence of the RA Human Rights Defender, both to be closed.
Staff of the Office of the Republic of Armenia (RA) Human Rights
Defender
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