1. Anti-torture committee publishes its first report on Armenia

[28.07.2004]

The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has
published its first
report
on Armenia, following a visit to the country in October 2002.

In the report, the CPT concludes that people detained by the police in
Armenia run a significant risk of being ill-treated. The Commitee therefore
recommends that a high priority be given to professional training for police
officers, including in modern investigation techniques.

The report also draws attention to overcrowding in prisons and the shortage
of activities for inmates. Furthermore, the CPT calls for urgent steps to
improve the conditions in which people sentenced to life imprisonment are being
held at Nubarashen Prison, and highlights major deficiencies at Nubarashen
Republican Psychiatric Hospital.

In their official
responses to the report, the Armenian authorities refer to measures
which have been taken to improve police training and to step up the control of
police activities. The authorities also announce a reduction of the prison
population, following the adoption of a new Criminal Code, and highlight
measures aimed at improving conditions at the Nubarashen facilities.

The CPT
report
and the responses
of the Armenian Government have been made public with the agreement of the
Armenian authorities. They are all available on the CPT's website:
www.cpt.coe.int


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1791

2. OSCE Official In Yerevan Untroubled By CIS Criticism

[30.07.2004]

The Russian head of the Yerevan office of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe claimed on Friday that strong criticism of the OSCE made
recently by Russia, Armenia and seven other ex-Soviet states did not apply to
the office’s activities.


In statements issued earlier this month, the nine member governments of the
Russian-dominated Commonwealth of Independent States accused the 55-nation
organization of meddling in their internal affairs. They said the OSCE is often
biased in its monitoring of troubled elections and human rights practices across
the former Soviet Union.


“I think that the critical content of that statement is not addressed to our
office,” Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin told RFE/RL. “We do not interfere in
Armenia’s internal affairs and do not engage in disproportionate actions
mentioned in that statement.”


The CIS statements stated that the alleged interference has taken place both
through election monitoring missions and the OSCE’s field offices mostly located
in Eastern Europe and the CIS. Some Armenian officials had openly criticized the
previous head of the OSCE’s Yerevan office, Ambassador Roy Reeve of Britain.


Pryakhin refused to speculate about motives for the Armenian government’s
decision to sign the statements apparently initiated by Russia. “This issue
relates to the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia,” he said.


Armenia’s involvement in the verbal attack on the OSCE was denounced as
“absolutely inappropriate” by several Armenian non-governmental organizations
earlier this week. The groups making up an umbrella structure called the
Partnership for Open Society said it “does not correspond to the country’s
interests and damages its international reputation.”

However, official Yerevan defended its stance on Friday, with the Foreign
Ministry citing the need for all OSCE member states to have “equal rights and
full participation in decision-making.” “In this regard we have concerns which
we present to the OSCE leadership and appropriate bodies,” the ministry
spokesman, Hamlet Gasparian, said in a statement.

By Ruzanna Stepanian


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=news&id=1793

3. Human Rights in Armenia Web Site

[28.07.2004]

Human Rights in Armenia website (HRA) is a very useful resource for both
specialists in human rights, researchers and journalists. It has a good archive,
and in Armenian segment of Internet HRA website is probably one of the best
resources available in the field of human rights. Unfortunately, it does not
have many visitors.

Find whole text of expert's oppinion
here


http://new.csi.am/eng/index1.php?goto=guest&id=56