Human Rights Defender Receives High-Level EU Delegation

The Human Rights Defender welcomed a delegation led by Vasilis Maraghos, Head of the Division for Partnership with Armenia at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations. This was reported by the Public Relations Department of the RA Human Rights Defender's Office.

The meeting included the participation of Dirk Lorenz, Deputy Head of the Eastern Partnership Bilateral Relations Division of the European External Action Service, EU Ambassador to Armenia Andrea Victorin, Head of the Migration Service of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of Armenia Armen Ghazaryan, and other officials.

The parties discussed the main directions of EU-Armenia cooperation, emphasizing the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as ongoing judicial, legal, and migration sector reforms and the fight against corruption.

Arman Tatoyan highlighted the importance of effective cooperation between the Defender, the European Union in Armenia, and other EU institutions, appreciating the EU's support for the activities of the Armenian Ombudsman. He presented the main directions of the institution's work. In particular, the fight against torture and corruption, protection of women's and children's rights, as well as judicial reforms and the involvement of the Defender in these processes were emphasized.

Tatoyan also stressed the importance of ensuring human rights in the field of migration. Priority directions mentioned included the protection of the rights of asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants, reforms in border governance, and the equipment of state border crossing points.

The Human Rights Defender emphasized the importance of cooperation in this regard with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees office in Armenia, the Armenian Red Cross Society, as well as the border troops of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia and the Migration Service of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of Armenia.

As a special focus of the current year’s activities, the Defender highlighted the improvement of the situation of human rights in the regions and the enhancement of the effectiveness of the regional divisions of the Defender's staff.

The representatives of the EU delegation emphasized the importance of cooperation with the Human Rights Defender and the involvement of the Defender in ongoing reforms in the country. They expressed readiness to assist in the implementation of projects. The parties agreed to deepen the directions of joint work.