Her Excellency Ms. Marija Pejčinović Burić, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe has responded my urgent letter on the alarms about beating minors.
I received an alarm on February 9 that employees of the Erebuni Police Department of Yerevan had beaten minors. According to public information police officers used violence against lawyers Emanuel ANANYAN and Marzpet AVAGYAN in the investigative body during the interrogation of one of the minors.
Part 1 of the Article 2 of the “UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment” envisages: Each State Party shall take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction.
According to Part 1 of the Article 16: Each State Party shall undertake to prevent in any territory under its jurisdiction other acts of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment which do not amount to torture as defined in article I, when such acts are committed by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. (…)
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I had urgently addressed the Secretary General of the Council of Europe requesting a targeted assessment of the mentioned case which had created concerns in the public sector.
I have got a response by Ms. Marija Pejčinović Burić, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, that effectively combating ill-treatment and impunity is one of the most important duties incumbent on any member state of the Council of Europe in order to secure the protection of human rights and uphold the rule of law for the benefit of its citizens and all other persons under its jurisdiction.
Ms. Marija Pejčinović Burić trusts that the Investigative Committee will undertake an effective and timely criminal investigation into these allegations of ill-treatment, and that the newly established Ministry of Interior will make sure that the safeguards against ill-treatment in police custody are further strengthened.
“The Council of Europe will continue working with the relevant authorities, in the framework of the new Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia, to enhance the efficiency of investigations of alleged ill-treatment cases”.
Ms. Burić also welcomes the fact that Armenia joined the “Network of representatives of police services of the Council of Europe member states (Police Network)” which will help to ensure that the work of the Armenian police is in line with Council of Europe standards.
Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, nonpartisan Taguhi Tovmasyan
