On May 10, the Human Rights Defender, Ms.
Anahit Manasyan discussed a number of issues on human rights protection in
Armenia with Ms. Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human
Rights in Strasbourg. The fight against hate speech and atmosphere of
intolerance among the public, protection of the rights of women, children,
persons with disabilities, prevention of domestic violence, proper
implementation of the principle of non-discrimination, exclusion of
disproportionate force and a number of other issues related to the protection
of human rights were particularly emphasized.
The Defender presented to the CoE Commissioner
for Human Rights the humanitarian situation resulting from the blockade of
Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, reflected on the issues on protection of the
rights of the Artsakh population, also spoke about the urgency of guaranteeing
the rights of the Armenian prisoners of war kept in Azerbaijan and ensuring
their return, and the issues related to servicemen whose whereabouts are
unknown.
The parties also referred to the visit of the
Human Rights Defender to the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan
detained in Armenia conducted on April 16. The Defender presented to the
Commissioner her observations based on the results of the visit and the issues
related to ensuring the rights of those servicemen.
Ms. Anahit Manasyan also spoke about the
results of the fact-finding visits of the Human Rights Defender to the border
settlements of Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces, inter alia, presented the
security issues of the local population as a result of the aggressive behavior
of the Azerbaijani armed forces, and the recorded violations on children's
rights.
In this context, the Defender emphasized that
political and territorial conditions cannot prevail over the necessity to
protect and guarantee human rights.
"There should be no closed doors for us,
as persons carrying out the mission of human rights protection, from the point
of view of human rights protection. Even if, due to a certain situation, they
are present, then we should look for opportunities to open those closed doors.
Otherwise, our mission to protect human rights will not be considered
effective,"- highlighted the Defender.
In her turn, the CoE Commissioner for Human
Rights congratulated Ms. Anahit Manasyan on assuming the responsible mission of
the Human Rights Defender and reaffirmed the readiness of the Council of Europe
to continue close cooperation with the institution of the Defender.
Defender Ms. Anahit Manasyan will take part in
the thematic discussion on "Fostering execution of the European Court of
Human Rights judgments at the institutional level" in Strasbourg from May
11 to 12, as well as to the launch event of the Armenian user interface of
HUDOC, as a member of the High-level delegation of the Interagency Committee of
the Republic of Armenia for oversight over the execution of the ECtHR
judgments, including the implementation of the judgments of the European Court.
Meetings with various high-ranking officials of the CoE are also envisaged.
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