Ombudsman Issues Statement Regarding Brutal Beating in Vardenis Village

The Ombudsman has addressed the brutal beating incident that occurred in Vardenis village. "The case of violence against a minor by high school students in Tavush marz highlights all the issues present in our social environment regarding attitudes toward violence, its prevention, response to incidents, and the protection of children's rights. Such incidents are not only condemnable and unacceptable, but they also indicate the existence of deep-rooted problems related to this issue.

The Human Rights Defender, Anahit Manasyan, emphasizes that any manifestation of violence is absolutely unacceptable, and the state has an obligation to ensure the safety of minors in schools, other educational institutions, and outside of them. The circumstances of this case require a comprehensive and objective investigation.

The Defender also highlights the need for prompt, coordinated, and systematic actions by state bodies, especially law enforcement agencies, custodial and supervisory bodies. These bodies are obliged not only to comprehensively assess what happened but also to ensure the safety of the affected student, provide necessary medical, psychological, and social support, as well as implement effective measures to prevent violence within the community and educational institutions.

The Defender underscores that the absence of effective mechanisms for identifying, preventing, and properly responding to violence in educational institutions contributes to the occurrence of such unacceptable incidents. In this regard, it is essential to conduct mandatory training and periodic re-training for all professionals working with children who have a duty to prevent, detect, and respond to violence against children, to include themes related to violence against children in educational programs, and to ensure the mandatory application of clear methodologies, tools, and guidelines for the work directed at identifying, preventing, and responding to incidents of violence against children. It is also necessary to establish clear protocols for reporting and responding to any type of violence against children by employees of educational institutions and state bodies, ensuring confidentiality and eliminating the potential targeting of the child.

At the same time, the Human Rights Defender calls on representatives of the media and social media users to immediately remove and refrain from spreading videos depicting scenes of violence, based on the principles of ensuring the best interests of the child and ‘Do No Harm’. The Defender reaffirms their commitment to continue protecting the rights and dignity of children and to contribute to the formation of a safe and tolerant environment."