INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION COMMITTEE ACCREDITS HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER’S OFFICE OF ARMENIA HIGHEST STATUS OF CONFORMITY TO PARIS PRINCIPLES
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 30 2006
The International Coordination Committee of National Institutions for
the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC), United Nations,
has given the human Rights Defender’s Office of Armenia (Ombudsman)
the highest status of conformity "A" to the so-called Paris Principles,
Human Rights Defender’s Office told ArmInfo.
This status gives an opportunity to the Human Rights Defender’s Office
to participate in the sessions of the UN Human Rights Council as well
as to make speeches and initiatives at the sessions.
The Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions for
the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (Paris Principles),
which were adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 December 1993,
provide for the competence and responsibilities of the National
Institutions for Human Rights, for composition and guarantees of
independence and pluralism, methods of operation, as well as for
additional principles concerning the status of commissions with
quasi-jurisdictional competence. There are 4 statuses: the highest is
"A," the lowest is the status of non-conformity – "C."