News

Human Rights Day in Armenia
12/10/09

On 10th December 2009 the Office of Human Rights Defender of Armenia (HRDO), has organized a round-table discussion titled “The Human Rights Protection in Armenia: Achievements and Challenges” which was dedicted to the Human Rights Day. The round table was organized with the assistance of the UN Office in Armenia, OSCE Office in Yerevan and the European Commission Delegation to Armenia.

The main goal of the round-table was to assess the current situation on human rights protection in Armenia, as well as to discuss the existing challenges and the possible ways to overcome them. During the discussion the RoA Human Rights Defender Mr. Armen Harutyunyan presented the results of the research on the application of the UN “Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment” (CAT) in Armenian courts, as well as the results of the survey of the HRDO activities in the framework of the National Preventive Mechanism under the Optional Protocol of CAT.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               The official participants of the event were RoA Human Rights Defender Mr. Armen Harutyunyan, RoA PM Mr. Tigran Sargsyan, UN Resident Coordinator a.i. Ms. Bushra Halepota, Deputy Head of OSCE Office in Yerevan Mr. Carel Hofstra, Head of EC Delegation to Armenia Mr. Raul de Luzenberger, as well as representatives of Government of Armenia, the National Assembly, judicial system, NGOs, international institutions, Armenian and foreign leading human rights specialists.

In his welcome speech the RoA Human Rights Defender Mr. Armen Harutyunyan noted, “The issue of human rights and freedoms is first of all an issue of inner freedom. The slave never dreams of freedom, but always dreams of having own slaves.”
 
RoA PM Mr. Tigran Sargsyan stated, “Our commitment is to establish such an environment, in which all citizens of the Republic of Armenia will be able to realize their constitutional rights, since all provisions of the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are reflected in the Constitution of Armenia.”

In his address to the participants Mr. Raul de Luzenberger underlined the fact that, “The European Commission supports the Republic of Armenia to develop her system of protection of human rights and promotion of the enhancement of Human Rights Defender’s institution.” “The Office of Ombudsman is one of the most important links in the whole human rights system and it is an effective mean to address human rights violations outside the judicial system,” he added.

Welcoming the guests, Ms. Bushra Halepota said, “Discrimination shatters the basis of human rights protection. This event is not intended to be only a marking event, but it is intended to be a reflection on how to increase the effectiveness of fighting against torture and ill-treatment.

On behalf of the OSCE Office in Yerevan Mr. Carel Hofstra, in particular, noted, “Since its establishment the OSCE Office almost for ten years has consistently supported the government and the civil society in monitoring human rights situation. Progress has been registered but there are still things to be done and the OSCE Office in Yerevan with its counterparts will continue to support the government, as well as the civil society in the upcoming years.”

On December 10 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Later in 1950 the General Assembly declared resolution 423 (V ), inviting all member states and any other interested organizations to celebrate the day . Since then every year this day is observed by the international community  and is commemorated with conferences, round tables, cultural events and exhibitions.