ARMENIA: SPECIAL VISIT OF COMMISSIONER HAMMARBERG TO ASSESS INQUIRY PROGRESS

armradio.am
19.11.2008 13:13

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg,
will carry out a special visit to Armenia from 20 to 22 November to
assess the situation of persons deprived of their liberty in relation
to the event of 1-2 March and the inquiry into those events.

"I intend to assess the situation of persons deprived of their liberty
and the progress made in discovering the responsibilities of the March
events" he said. "It is essential that a true and factual description
of what actually happened is established. If this can be done it will
also benefit future work to protect human rights in Armenia."

During the visit, he will meet with the President of the Republic,
Serzh Sargsyan, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Minister for
Foreign Affairs, the Head of the National Police and the Prosecutor
General. He will also hold meetings with the Chairman of the ad hoc
inquiry committee of the National Assembly and the members of the
newly-established fact-finding group tasked with the inquiry into the
March events, the Human Rights Defender, as well as representatives of
international organizations and civil society. Commissioner Hammarberg
will also visit places of deprivation of liberty.