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INTERNATIONAL DONORS DEPRIVE ME OF INDEPENDENCE - ARMENIAN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER
May 30, 2013 | 10:58
YEREVAN. - When receiving grants from the international donor
organizations, several conditions are imposed which deprive the
ombudsman from his independence.
Armenia's Human Rights Defender, Karen Andreasyan, noted the aforesaid
during Thursday's National Assembly session devoted to the initial
discussion of the 2012 Budget performance.
Specifically, as per the ombudsman, when providing grants the donors
require that the Human Rights Defender's statements be concurred
with them.
"It is inappropriate for the ombudsman to fine-tune his statements
with any other body," Andreasyan said.
He confirmed that there are pressures from the international
organizations in terms of content and the political aspect, but,
according to Armenia's ombudsman, the concurrence of statements is
unacceptable in the technical sense, too.
"When I am funded by the state, I am fully independent, but when the
international donor does the funding, this impacts my independence,"
Karen Andreasyan maintained.
Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am
News from Armenia - NEWS.am
May 30, 2013 | 10:58
YEREVAN. - When receiving grants from the international donor
organizations, several conditions are imposed which deprive the
ombudsman from his independence.
Armenia's Human Rights Defender, Karen Andreasyan, noted the aforesaid
during Thursday's National Assembly session devoted to the initial
discussion of the 2012 Budget performance.
Specifically, as per the ombudsman, when providing grants the donors
require that the Human Rights Defender's statements be concurred
with them.
"It is inappropriate for the ombudsman to fine-tune his statements
with any other body," Andreasyan said.
He confirmed that there are pressures from the international
organizations in terms of content and the political aspect, but,
according to Armenia's ombudsman, the concurrence of statements is
unacceptable in the technical sense, too.
"When I am funded by the state, I am fully independent, but when the
international donor does the funding, this impacts my independence,"
Karen Andreasyan maintained.
Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am
News from Armenia - NEWS.am