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YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan says the best working conditions exist in Armenia for the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) since the 2018 “Velvet” revolution.
“The law On the Human Rights Defender was adopted in Armenia in October 2003, but it factually came into effect in 2004,” the Speaker said at the opening of a two-day international conference in the Armenian parliament dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the Ombudsman’s institution in Armenia.
“Then constitutional amendments stipulated the exclusive right of every citizen to apply to the Ombudsman, it was defined that the law on the human rights defender is a Constitutional law. Being initially created as an institution independent from any body or influence, during these years the Ombudsman’s institution managed to pass a long way and get accomplished. Nevertheless, regrettably during a period of time of more than two decades the Ombudsman has frequently faced big political obstacles on its path of getting accomplished, obstacles that didn’t allow it to fully exercise its powers defined by the Constitution and law. Since 2018 the best conditions are created in Armenia for the Ombudsman’s work, and this is because human rights, their protection are the cornerstones of our system of values,’ Speaker Mirzoyan said.
He expressed conviction that cooperation between parliament and the Ombudsman will give new results.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan