According to the Vanadzor Office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, there are 45,000 individuals in Armenia suffering from a variety of mental health disorders whose rights aren’t being defended.

The civic organization states that Armenia, a signatory to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, has failed to fulfill a number of obligations in this sector.

The Assembly argues that those with mental disorders remain alienated from their communities and social life in general and cannot defend their rights effectively.