On April 16, the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of
Armenia Ms. Anahit Manasyan received members of the Council of Europe Group of
Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA).
The GRETA delegation on a monitoring visit to Armenia
comprises the representative of Moldova Ms. Tatiana Catana, the representative of Portugal Ms. Rita
Peneda, and the representative of the GRETA Secretariat of the Council of
Europe Ms. Parvine Ghadami.
During the meeting, the Defender presented the scope of
her mandate and the main directions of her work to the guests, emphasizing that
the protection of human rights must be combined with consistent work aimed at
their promotion.
Issues related to the protection of the rights of persons
subjected to trafficking or exploitation, the scope of the Defender's mandate
in the field of preventing human trafficking and exploitation, the legal
framework regulating the field and other related issues were jointly discussed.
Reference was made to the monitoring visits carried out
by the Human Rights Defender and the representatives of the Human Rights
Defender' Office to various institutions, including penitentiary institutions,
psychiatric and educational institutions, within the framework of which, among
others, issues related to human trafficking and exploitation were discussed.
The Defender also presented specific issues recorded in
the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports on the activities of the Human Rights Defender
of the Republic of Armenia, the state of protection of human rights and freedom
in the field of human trafficking and exploitation. The recorded problems
included raising public awareness, implementing trainings to enhance the skills
and capabilities of law enforcement officers, the importance of ratifying the
Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs, etc.
Reference was also made to the Human Rights Defender's
proposal to introduce the institution of an independent National Rapporteur on
trafficking.
At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed their
gratitude for the productive discussion, once again reaffirming their
willingness for effective cooperation in the interests of human rights
protection and the coordinated fight against trafficking.
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