Discussion in Tashir and Spitak

On July 20 and 21 public discussions and live TV programs on “Mechanisms of Protecting Citizens’ Rights in the relations with Law Enforcement Bodies” were held in Tashir and Spitak towns.
Artur Sakunts, human rights defender and coordinator of HCA Vanadzor was the expert of the events. The citizens, police officers, teachers, students and representatives of TV stations of those towns participated in the discussions.

They were presented with the general provisions of the national legislation related to the Criminal Procedure, as well as the legal grounds for bringing to regional police station and keeping there, the grounds for complaints and presenting the prosecutor’s office with letters by citizens, the right to get free of charge legal consultation within the frames of a started criminal case and the right to personal immunity.

A. Sakunts presented the citizens with the facts of violations of citizens’ rights by the police officers. For instance, an under-age person has been questioned for 14 hours without his legal representative and any legal status. All the details are presented in the report on “Facts of Tortures Registered in Lori Region”, which was distributed among the citizens. A. Sakunts also spoke about amnesty and abolishing death penalty in Armenia.

A. Sakunts responded to the citizens’ questions during the discussions and TV programs.

We have to remind that the public discussion was held within the framework of the project “Capacity Building of HCA Vanadzor in the Sphere of Human Rights” supported by Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation-Armenia and the Government of the Netherlands.