Public discussion on implementation of the Action Plan arising from National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights

Today, a public reporting/discussion regarding the implementation of the actions envisaged in the first semester of the 2017-2019 Action Plan arising from the National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia Vigen Kocharyan. About forty representatives from state bodies, international and non-governmental organisations participated in the event.

Greeting the participants of the meeting, Deputy Minister and Co-ordinator of the Action Plan Vigen Kocharyan presented the agenda for discussion and stated that at the end of each semester these public discussions, as a tool for monitoring the programme implemented by the state bodies and ensuring the government-civil society dialogue, will be held regularly.

Afterwards, the Deputy Minister also presented the performance of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia regarding the actions envisaged in the first semester of the 2017-2019 Action Plan arising from the National Strategy for the Protection of Human Rights. According to it, the draft regulatory act on documenting torture and ill-treatment against detained persons or convicts and the draft Law of the Republic of Armenia "On legal assistance in criminal cases" have been elaborated.

Afterwards, the representatives from the Ministries of Healthcare, Nature Protection, Education and Science, Diaspora and Labour, Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia, the Police of the Republic of Armenia, the State Urban Development Committee adjunct to the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Staff to the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia also presented their performances, after which the participants held an earnest discussion.