The
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), its member organisation in
Armenia, the Civil Society Institute (CSI), and Norwegian Helsinki Committee
(NHC), released a briefing paper outlining serious concerns regarding the
functioning of the justice system in the Republic of Armenia. The paper was
sent to the President of Armenia, Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, Head of
the Police and Prosecutor General.

Organizations stress
that the administration of justice in Armenia has been of concern for many
years and remains a serious issue. Two years on, FIDH, CSI and the Norwegian
Helsinki Committee have conducted a thorough assessment of recent developments
in this field. Sadly, significant improvements are still badly needed to shift
the general pattern of human rights breaches in this context. Moreover, the
individual cases previously highlighted by the organisations have still not
been resolved.

The current
briefing highlights these deficiencies in six key areas, namely torture and ill treatment, political
prisoners, investigations into March 2008 abuses, judicial independence,
juvenile justice and the system for early conditional release. In doing so,
it provides factual examples to illustrate concerns and a series of
recommendations to the Armenian authorities to remedy this situation.

“Our
organisations, the International Federation for Human Rights, Civil Society
Institute and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee express our deep concern about
the issues raised in this briefing. We call upon the authorities to eliminate
violations in the administration of justice and ensure the establishment of an
independent judiciary and the rule of law. These steps are fundamental to the
further democratic development of Armenia”, is outlined in the briefing.

The briefing
paper in Armenian and English.