What was discussed During Closed Meeting?

As we had previously notified, today a closed meeting was held with RA human rights defenders by the initiative of the NA Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs, where army-related issues were discussed.
Artur Sakunts, Head of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor, participant of the meeting, told Henaran.am that representatives of the RA Ministry of Defense, Military Prosecutor’s Office, and OSCE Yerevan office also attended the meeting.

According to Artur Sakunts, the meeting was the direct response to the statement disseminated the previous day. The state authorities presented the human rights defenders all the steps that were undertaken to overcome the existing issues in the army. The recent death cases recorded in the army were not discussed on case by case basis. A general reflection to the death cases was made, and it was stated that a drastic decrease in the number of death cases in the army have been recorded in the last few years.  By the human rights defender’s words, the answers to raised issues in the statement were not satisfied.

“They are well aware of all the issues in the army. The primary target of the meeting was to cooperate, but not publicize the issues”, Artur Sakunts told Henaran.am. He believes that the issues existing in the army are not adequately publicized, which create lack of trust among society members. The human rights defender also noted that the internal appeal mechanisms do not function in the army today, which is of great importance; the lack of complaints also testifies this fact.

“Nobody complains, because no safety guarantees are ensured”, pointed out the human rights activist.

Artur Sakunts also notified that a round-table discussion would be convened on September 14, where representatives from international organizations will participate, while the “Army Dressed in Black” initiative group was holding a protest near the Government Building the following day.

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