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ARMENIA URGED TO FULFILL COMMITMENTS UNDER INT'L COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS
Human rights | 12.02.15 | 11:32
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
The Center for Civil and Political Rights, which is in close
cooperation with the UN Human Right Committee, announces: Armenia
has not completed three primary commitments provisioned by the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
"We urge the government and the civil society members to take up
additional measures and ensure progress by the deadline set for
the next report, by July 2016," said Vincent Ploton, the head of
International Relations of the Center for Civil and Political Rights.
Armenia is one of 167 countries that ratified the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which, according to Ploton,
means: Armenia has committed to fulfill all conditions.
In August 2012, the Human Rights Committee studied and discussed
the process of Armenia fulfilling the conditions provisioned by the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. As a result,
they approved 25 instructions giving four years to the government
and the officials to work toward realizing the instructions. Three
among 25 were set as primary by the Committee, thus only a year was
given to fulfill them, however, till now they are not completed.
The first instruction refers to the study of the 2008 events, the
impunity related to them, the second one - to violence, the third -
to providing independence of jurisdiction.
According to Armenian Helsinki Committee Chairman Avetik Ishkhanyan,
during recent years attempts have been made to achieve results in
all direction, but there are few positive results.
"The UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) results are a good opportunity
for Armenia and Armenian law enforcement bodies to achieve success in
the field of human rights, but it is alarming that the provision about
peaceful protests and rallies is not included in the new instruction
of Armenia. This is disturbing, because in Armenia, although there
is a corresponding law, but for peaceful protests not the law, rather
the political will works - in a negative sense," Ishkhanyan said.
In terms of human rights, according to the human rights activist,
abuse and excessive use of violence by the police is an important
issue. The chief of police speaks loudly about reforms, but that
practice continues, while in order to register progress in the field
courts must be separated from the government.
"The SIS, the prosecution, judges, the police chief are appointed
by the president, the Investigation Committee is appointed by the
president. This is a common pot, and you want them to supervise each
other? The police are the true pillar of the government. This is the
main Armenian problem," Ishkhanyan said.
According to Anna Innocenti, International Advocacy Officer of the
Secretariat of Human Rights House, Armenia should adopt laws preventing
domestic violence, as well as provide open and free investigation of
complaints regarding deaths in the army caused by hazing.
According to Artur Sakunts, the head of the Helsinki Citizens'
Assembly Vanadzor office, all main problems in the sphere of human
rights were presented during the January 22 discussion of the UN UPR
Armenia national report, however, Armenian officials do not show due
willpower toward implementing their commitments.
http://armenianow.com/society/human_rights/60556/armenia_united_nations_report_human_rights
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Human rights | 12.02.15 | 11:32
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
The Center for Civil and Political Rights, which is in close
cooperation with the UN Human Right Committee, announces: Armenia
has not completed three primary commitments provisioned by the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
"We urge the government and the civil society members to take up
additional measures and ensure progress by the deadline set for
the next report, by July 2016," said Vincent Ploton, the head of
International Relations of the Center for Civil and Political Rights.
Armenia is one of 167 countries that ratified the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which, according to Ploton,
means: Armenia has committed to fulfill all conditions.
In August 2012, the Human Rights Committee studied and discussed
the process of Armenia fulfilling the conditions provisioned by the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. As a result,
they approved 25 instructions giving four years to the government
and the officials to work toward realizing the instructions. Three
among 25 were set as primary by the Committee, thus only a year was
given to fulfill them, however, till now they are not completed.
The first instruction refers to the study of the 2008 events, the
impunity related to them, the second one - to violence, the third -
to providing independence of jurisdiction.
According to Armenian Helsinki Committee Chairman Avetik Ishkhanyan,
during recent years attempts have been made to achieve results in
all direction, but there are few positive results.
"The UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) results are a good opportunity
for Armenia and Armenian law enforcement bodies to achieve success in
the field of human rights, but it is alarming that the provision about
peaceful protests and rallies is not included in the new instruction
of Armenia. This is disturbing, because in Armenia, although there
is a corresponding law, but for peaceful protests not the law, rather
the political will works - in a negative sense," Ishkhanyan said.
In terms of human rights, according to the human rights activist,
abuse and excessive use of violence by the police is an important
issue. The chief of police speaks loudly about reforms, but that
practice continues, while in order to register progress in the field
courts must be separated from the government.
"The SIS, the prosecution, judges, the police chief are appointed
by the president, the Investigation Committee is appointed by the
president. This is a common pot, and you want them to supervise each
other? The police are the true pillar of the government. This is the
main Armenian problem," Ishkhanyan said.
According to Anna Innocenti, International Advocacy Officer of the
Secretariat of Human Rights House, Armenia should adopt laws preventing
domestic violence, as well as provide open and free investigation of
complaints regarding deaths in the army caused by hazing.
According to Artur Sakunts, the head of the Helsinki Citizens'
Assembly Vanadzor office, all main problems in the sphere of human
rights were presented during the January 22 discussion of the UN UPR
Armenia national report, however, Armenian officials do not show due
willpower toward implementing their commitments.
http://armenianow.com/society/human_rights/60556/armenia_united_nations_report_human_rights
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress