Human Rights Defender Sends Proposals to the National Assembly's Defense Committee

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia has forwarded proposals regarding the housing provisions for military personnel to the National Assembly's Defense Committee. The proposals specifically address not only the soldiers of the Armed Forces but also individuals equated with them, including those serving in the National Security Service, the Penitentiary Service, and the Police Forces.

Complaints addressed to the Human Rights Defender, ongoing monitoring by the specialized division ensuring the rights of military personnel and their families, and visits to military units indicate that the housing provision issue for military personnel requires urgent solutions.

Several practical and legislative problems have been highlighted:

1. The issue of compensation provided to soldiers for renting housing while they already have their own space, which may be small or in poor condition, is widespread. Due to mechanical legal regulations, a soldier might not receive compensation if they live within a certain distance (e.g., 30 km from the military unit).
2. There are instances where officers with over 20 years of military service do not own a home and find themselves renting, often having to pay out of pocket due to disproportionate rent compensation.
3. Legislation does not cover cases where soldiers live more than 30 km away from their military unit but cannot change their residence due to various objective circumstances (e.g., engaging in agriculture), thus receiving no rental compensation and lacking any other support.
4. The issue of affordable and preferential long-term mortgage financing programs is also significant. Although such programs are generally viewed positively, some issues make it difficult for long-serving officers who intend to retire to benefit from these programs.
5. The housing issues concerning Penitentiary Service personnel have also been raised, despite them having a legal right to housing.
6. Many former military personnel are registered and require improvement in housing conditions, yet it can take years for them to receive assistance.
7. Legislation does not provide a mechanism for compensating rent for those who are retired due to health reasons, age, or long service.
8. The importance of equipping service apartments with necessary utilities has been highlighted, given instances where soldiers were provided apartments lacking basic living conditions.

As always, the Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan does not limit himself to identifying problems but also proposes concrete solutions:

• Establish a procedure for discussing the compensation of rent for soldiers who have actual ownership of residential areas.
• Increase the compensation amounts allocated to contractual soldiers for housing rentals.
• Provide travel expenses for those living more than 30 kilometers from their military unit.
• Amend the law to enable junior and sergeant-level soldiers to access mortgage financing programs.
• Extend access to mortgage programs for National Security Service, Penitentiary, and Police personnel.
• Reassess the support provided to former military personnel registered for housing improvements.
• Establish a compensation mechanism for those released due to health or age, ensuring they can receive rent compensation.
• Allocate funds for the renovation of existing housing and the construction of new units equipped with utilities.

The Human Rights Defender's proposals will be officially sent to the National Assembly, including relevant committees and groups, as well as the Ministry of Defense. Further details can be found in the Human Rights Defender's annual report for 2020.