TIGRAN TOROSYAN: REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES TAKE PLACE IN ARMENIA’S HUMAN RIGHTS SPHERE

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Dec 12 2006

YEREVAN, December 12. /ARKA/. Revolutionary changes have taken place
in Armenia’s human rights sphere over the last few years, Speaker of
the RA Parliament Tigran Torosyan stated at the seminar "Human rights
and Armenian reality".

He pointed out that Armenia’s citizens have the right to apply to the
European Court of Human Rights. "Constitutional amendments adopted
a year ago allowed citizens to apply to the Constitution Court to
defend their rights," he said.

Torosyan pointed that the RA Ombudsman has all powers to "carry out
this important and honorable mission."

In his turn, RA Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan stressed that human
rights are considered a fundamental value all over the world and
are the guidelines of the activities of any organizations and any
society. "From this point of view we can say that Armenia, which
is on the way of democratization, has no alternative but ensure and
protect the rights of all its citizens," he said.

The seminar was held under the motto "Poverty reduction". The seminar
was organized by the RA Ombudsman’s office in cooperation with the
UN and OSCE offices in Armenia, and the British Council.