On May 5 the RA NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs moderated by Elinar Vardanyan continued the debate of the RA Human Rights Defender (HRD) “On the Activities of the RA Human Rights Defender and the Violation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms” according to the spheres.

At the sitting the RA Deputy Human Rights Defender Armen Grigoryan presented the reports concerning the RA Ministry of Defense, the RA Police and RA Investigative Committee.

The RA Deputy Human Rights Defender presented the recorded positive move registered in the RA Ministry of Defense. He noted that a number of events were held, working groups visiting military units were formed, seminars were organized for the conscripts and commanders, and the living conditions of the military were improved. As an achievement the HRD Office has noted the elaboration of the draft law on the RA Compulsory Military Service and Military Service, by which a series key problems are designed to be solved.

Responding to the report of the HRD Office, the RA Deputy Minister of Defense David Tonoyan has noted that all the mentioned problems are at the centre of attention of the institution.

The HRD Office also made a report on the RA Police which was made up on the basis of the received applications. Mr Grigoryan stated that a round-table discussion was organized, where issues of complying separation existing between the standards of freedom of speech and providing national security with the internationally accepted standards were raised, where representatives and of about two dozens of media and NGOs took part. The Ombudsman Office also highlighted the struggle against human exploitation and trafficking, noting that a series of events were held for the improvement of the sphere.

Responding to the report, the Head of the Legal Department of the RA Police Meruzhan Hakobyan stated that seminar-trainings were organized by the Head of the Police, where the works to be done by the police were discussed.

The next report presented by the Ombudsman Office, which related to the RA Investigative Committee, recorded rather positive results and very little problems.

He has stated that as a result of Memorandum of Mutual Understanding on Cooperation in the sphere of human rights and freedoms signed between the RA HRD and Investigative Committee, the problems are effectively solved.

The RA Deputy Chairman of the Investigative Committee Artur Ghambaryan has responded to the shortcomings in the report and noted that some issues were addressed by them through the report of the Ombudsman’s Office.