Process of applying the Barnahus model, amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code — Council for Juvenile Justice holds outgoing discussion

Within the scope of the activities of the Council for Juvenile Justice, a tour and outgoing discussion, under the direction of Deputy Minister of Justice, Chairperson of the Council Levon Balyan, were held by the FAR Children's Support Centre Foundation. The members of the Council became familiar with the process of applying the Barnahus model, which was piloted in Yerevan and Kapan in 2023.

During the discussion, Deputy Minister of Justice Levon Balyan, Deputy Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia Arsen Ayvazyan, Co-ordinator of the Juvenile Justice Programme of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Victoria Ohanyan delivered their welcoming remarks. Among others attending the meeting were representatives of state and non-state institutions associated with juvenile justice.

During the meeting, the issue on the possibility of submitting draft amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code and organising forensic expert examination in Barnahus was considered.

Let us mention that Barnahus is translated as "Child's House". A child who is in any way linked to crimes of sexual and/or grave physical violence comes to Barnahus. Children having found themselves in similar situations receive a number of services under one roof and, passing through the stages of justice procedures, as a rule, they are protected and find themselves in a child-friendly environment.

The model was introduced in Armenia within the scope of the “Accountable Institutions and Human Rights Protection in Armenia” project funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by the UNICEF, the Ministry of Justice and the Integrated Social Service of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. At the end of the meeting, it was decided to apply, on behalf of the Council, to the Investigative Committee with an initiative to conduct interrogations of juveniles related to crimes of sexual and/or grave physical violence at the centres of Barnahus in all possible cases in order to ensure the best interests of the child and effective investigation.