10:10, 26 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Kristinne Grigoryan participated in the discussion entitled "Security Sector Governance and the Reform – Ensuring Effective Security Sector Oversight” in Geneva. The discussion was organized by the Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), the Ombudsperson’s Office said in a news release.

The Defender made a speech within the panel entitled "Human Rights in the Armed Forces and the Role of Defense Institutions".

Kristinne Grigoryan presented the constitutional mandate and the toolkit of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia to protect human rights in the armed forces.

The Defender presented the challenges and activities implemented by the Human Rights Defender’s Office during the COVID-19 and 44-day war in 2020, especially the fact finding activities on war crimes of Azerbaijan, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment of Armenian prisoners of war and captives.

Highlighting the importance of close cooperation between the National Assembly and the Human Rights Defender elected by the National Assembly, the Defender presented concrete recommendations jointly with the National Assembly.

Reference was also made to the international experience related to the Military Ombudsman Institute.