Arpine Hovhannisyan receives Philippe Boillat

Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia Arpine Hovhannisyan today received the delegation led by Director General of the Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe Philippe Boillat.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss issues relating to the priority sectors being implemented within the scope of the CoE-Armenia Action Plan, including protection and promotion of human rights, execution of justice, fight against corruption, as well as the fulfilment of the requirements of the European Court of Human Rights.

Minister Arpine Hovhannisyan highly appreciated the active and ongoing co-operation with the Council of Europe and attached importance to the new Action Plan approved on 18 September 2015 in which a number of priorities of major significance have been marked for Armenia. According to the Minister, several provisions of the Programme of the Government — approved on 21 October by the National Assembly — are in line with the Action Plan; in particular, judicial and legal reforms, human rights and combating corruption continue to remain priorities.

During the working meeting Arpine Hovhannisyan touched upon the Republic of Armenia National Strategy on Protection of Human Rights, EU budget contribution agreement “Support to human rights protection in Armenia”, the Republic of Armenia Anti-Corruption Strategy and other issues.

During the meeting, Philippe Boillat expressed his satisfaction with the co-operation and the great efforts of the Ministry of Justice, and expressed hope that the collaboration would be deepened in other sectors as well, particularly in combating sexual abuse and exploitation of children, trafficking, drug trade, improvement of the health conditions of convicts at penitentiary institutions, as well as full implementation of social rights of a person.