Armenia’s Chamber of Advocates issued a statement today that the government’s bill to change current regulations regarding the state funding of the Human Rights Defender’s Office raises serious concerns.

“Taking into account the functional features of the Human Rights Defender (ombudsman) and the special role in the protection of human rights, the proposed changes are fraught with disruption risks to the ombudsman as a constitutional body and to the normal work of its staff and may lead to the deterioration of the human rights situation in the country,” the statement reads.

The Chamber stressed the ongoing work of the HRDO to raise and advocate for the protection of citizens’ rights on international platforms, noting that such efforts became even more important during and after the recent Karabakh war.

Expressing its support of the HRDO, the Chamber called on the government to withdraw the proposed bill.