From June 6 to June 10 a seminar was held in London on topic of "Complex rehabilitation for Victims of Torture". Representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were present at the seminar. The experts who had worked in the rehabilitation centers for victims of torture in different countries presented the international experience.

On the last day of the seminar the participants presented the work realized in their countries towards the improvement of the rehabilitation of victims of torture. It turned out, that there has been no rehabilitation center in the region.

The Armenian representatives were Gayane Shahnazaryan from "Civil Society Institute" and lawyer Artak Zeynalyan.

"At the end of the seminar each representative developed a plan for his/her country, primarily about how and what from to start the rehabilitation activities for the victims of torture. In my plan I have first of all stressed out the importance of raising public awareness in order people knew that they have the right to psychological rehabilitation, material compensation, etc, so that they can demand all that through court.

At the end we learned that the best ideas were to be awarded with grant. My proposal was approved and now we are to send a complete project based on my suggestion", says Gayane Shahnazaryan, who is also a member of Penal System Monitoring Group.

The seminar was organized by Penal Reform International in cooperation with Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture. Penal Reform International also plans to organize seminars with the same subject for other post-soviet countries.

Mary Alexanyan

Source: www.hra.am