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The annual programme of the Human Rights Defender (HRD) and the annual report of the HRD as a prevention national mechanism show the problems existing I the sphere. The numerous problems, which were solved during the year, including also as a result of the Defender’s intervention. The RA Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan said, presenting the annual programme on the activity of the RA Human Rights Defender, on the state of protection of human rights and freedoms and the annual report on the activity of the RA Human Rights Defender for 2023 as a prevention national mechanism.

According to her, problems related to the protection of human rights were recorded in almost all spheres. “Compared with the year 2022, in 2023 we received more appeals. In 2023, compared with 202, the number of the cases with positive solution abruptly increased. If in 2022, we had 1282 cases with positive solution, then in 2023 – 1922,” the HRD informed.

Speaking about the assemblies taking place in recent days, the rapporteur called on the attendees to understand the citizens’ psychological state and be tolerable in the created situation. “It is very important that the right of freedom of assemblies be guaranteed by legislation and by procedures relevant to international standards,” she said.

According to Anahit Manasyan, in the reporting year the improvement and upgrading of the institution of the Human Rights Defender and the Staff capacities has been of priority.

The HRD touched upon her visits to different institutions, including, the border settlements. It was noted that in general, she had 512 visits.

Speaking up the problematic state of the human rights in the sphere of education, Anahit Manasyan emphasized the implementation of the considerable works aimed at the improvement of the content and methodology of education in our country.

It was noted that both the Defender and the structure were active in terms of international cooperation. The rapporteur informed that this year she was elected Member of the Government Council of the European network of the national institutions of the Human Rights Defender: “Armenia is presented in the government body for the first time, and from the viewpoint of our activity this has a very important role.”

The Defender highlighted the cooperation with the representatives of the state competent bodies and the civil society during the reporting year, which was aimed at5 the solution of various problems. “We had special position presented by the Human Rights Defender to the Constitutional Court related to different problems voiced by the opposition figures. We also tried to refer to the problems voiced by different figures in the framework of the annual programme,” the rapporteur underscored and added that there is a lot to do in terms of building the cooperation with the political majority and the political minority.

Speaking about the speech of hate, the atmosphere of intolerance, the HRD noted that it damages the possibility of having a proper system of protection of human rights and building public relation. “The sounding of the speech of hate is everywhere, and in this aspect we have priority to do,” the rapporteur said, underscoring the role of the political figures and the mass media.

Anahit Manasyan considered concerning the fact that at this moment more than 50 percent of persons deprived of freedom in our country is detained, but not convicted. It was mentioned that that statistics is problematic in terms of international standards, and according to the rapporteur, the state should take steps for addressing and overcoming the problem. The rapporteur also voiced the problems connected with the protection of human rights. According to Anahit Manasyan, within the framework of the activity of the structure of the previous year the protection of the children’s rights was important. The latter also spoke about the guaranteeing of the rights of the persons with disabilities, the cases of violence against the lawyers during the previous year, as well as maintaining journalistic ethics in our country.

In the Q&A session, the deputies mainly expressed satisfaction about the work done by the HRD Office, were interested in the deinstitutionalization process of the persons living in the institutions, the obstacles of the journalists’ professional activity, the solution of the problem regarding the stray dogs, the problems of the judicial sphere, the cases of torture, the violence in the events taking place in these days in Kirants and the opportunity of restriction of the citizens’ rights, etc.

In response to the question relating to the coverage of the juvenile issues in the mass media, the protection of their personal data, Anahir Manasyan opined that our perceptions related to the child’s best interest and the protection of the children’s personal data, rights do not comply with the perception of any kind in the world today. “This is the reason that we should take serious steps, and in that aspect, the mass media has an exceptional role,” the HRD said, adding: “The media does not follow the principle of responsible journalism, because the principle of responsible journalism prompts that we should act by the principle “Do not harm! The information should be at least checked several times. In that aspect we have many problems, by the way, not only referring to not only the child’s best interest, but almost in all issues.”

A question sounded on the possibility of violation of the rights of the citizens’ property as a consequence of the delimitation and demarcation to be carried out in Tavush region. The HRD informed that she personally left for those settlements and recorded that if even persons don’t have certificates of right to property, but for years have realized the jurisdiction of owning, using any real estate, in this case the state has concrete obligations. “Irrespective of the fact who exercises the power, the state allows the exercise of those jurisdictions to be held, and naturally, the state is obliged to bear all the consequences, including through compensation and other different formats,” Anahit Manasyan clarified.

The debate of the issue will continue at May 3 sitting.