The following is an official release by the Human Rights Defender’s Office in Armenia

On May 12 the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia Arman Tatoyan met with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland in Strasbourg.

A. Tatoyan has presented to the Secretary General the gross human rights violations committed against the civilian population of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijani aggression initiated in the beginning of the month of April.

During the meeting the Defender has presented to T. Jagland specific examples of atrocities committed by Azerbaijani armed forces. He has also transmitted to the Secretary General the published Report of NKR Human Rights Defender which analyzes those cases of atrocities.

A. Tatoyan has underlined the devastating consequences of Azerbaijani aggressive policy of disseminating hatred and violence towards people of Armenian ethnicity which endangers the Council of Europe human rights protection system. Moreover, the Defender has noted that such policy is being encouraged at state level and is of an absolutely intolerant nature.

It has been recorded that human rights violations are unacceptable under any circumstances; human rights protection cannot be limited by politics or to the borders.

The parties to the meeting have emphasized the role of the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) in implementing the European standards in the country. More specifically, the importance of the Ombudsman institute in executing the European Court of Human Rights judgments has been emphasized. The parties have also discussed the issues related to prevention of domestic violence, protection of the rights of people with disabilities, as well as other issues in the field of human rights protection.