Creating a Demilitarized Zone for Security is an Urgent Necessity: Armenian Human Rights Defender to Co-Rapporteurs of PACE

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, met with the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) regarding Armenia on November 4. This was reported by the staff of the Human Rights Defender's Office.

During the meeting, issues concerning the rights of border residents, judicial reforms, and the work of the media were discussed. Arman Tatoyan presented evidence confirming violations of the rights of Armenian border residents by Azerbaijani armed forces.

He emphasized that issues related to the state border of Armenia should be prioritized from a human rights perspective and that human rights and security complement, rather than oppose, each other. The Defender also spoke about the necessity of creating a demilitarized zone in all areas of contact with Azerbaijani military forces to ensure peaceful and secure living, property rights, freedom of movement, and other vital rights of the population of Armenia.

Tatoyan highlighted the critical importance of the PACE resolution adopted on September 27, 2021, which reflects this proposal. He addressed existing problems in the judicial system, emphasizing that some judges harm the reputation of the judicial system with their behavior. Despite this, he insisted that solutions must be sought through legal means, encouraging law-abiding and independent judges.

The Defender also pointed out the unacceptable practice of delaying court cases, noting that there are major trials where unjustified delays in hearings lead individuals to endure years of legal struggles. Tatoyan provided specific examples demonstrating that due to inadequate handling of legal processes, people are held in places such as psychiatric hospitals.

Moreover, the Human Rights Defender discussed the importance of unobstructed media work, mentioning that he had appealed to the Constitutional Court on several fundamental issues to guarantee the unfettered operation of journalists.