The Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, Ms. Anahit Manasyan, received a delegation of the Council of Europe.
On April 14, the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, Ms. Anahit Manasyan, received a delegation led by Dr. Claus Neukirch, Director of Programme Co-ordination at the of the Council of Europe.
Welcoming the guests, Ms. Anahit Manasyan emphasized the importance of the close, sustainable and effective cooperation established with the Council of Europe, highlighting the significant role of CoE programs in the development of the human rights protection system in Armenia.
During the meeting, a number of important issues were discussed, including those related to the rights of women, children, persons with disabilities, national minorities, the protection of rights in the armed forces, social rights, the right to health care and a number of other fields. In this context, Ms. Anahit Manasyan emphasized the importance of the councils adjunct to the Human Rights Defender, which include representatives of civil society.
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Reference was also made to the importance of combating hate speech and intolerance, particularly ahead of the parliamentary elections. The Defender expressed concern regarding the spread of discriminatory and hate speech on various grounds, noting that such phenomena intensify during the pre-election period and must be properly addressed.
Reference was also made to the draft law “On Prevention of Discrimination and Protection from Discrimination” and the existing challenges in the field. The Human Rights Defender highlighted the need for the prompt adoption of the law and the institutional strengthening of the Human Rights Defender’s Office, emphasizing the importance of providing sufficient human, technical and financial resources by the state to ensure the full implementation of the mandate.
At the end of the meeting, the parties highly appreciated the long-standing and effective cooperation between the Human Rights Defender’s Office and the Council of Europe in the field of human rights protection and outlined directions for expanding cooperation.
Human Rights Defender’s Office
