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“I am not particularly excited about this program,” Avetik Ishkhanyan, Chairman of Helsinki Committee of Armenia, said in his speech during today’s public discussion entitled “Civil society organizations on the RA government program” while turning to the points in the government program regarding human rights and the justice sector.

According to him the government program should have included the issues involved in The European Convention on Human Rights, but the program has no mention of it in the part regarding human rights.

“The program provides increased confidence in electoral processes, including the implementation of the measures directed to the legalization of electoral processes due to providing co-funding in three months f period. The point also includes acquiring and using technical equipment. All do respect but I do not see any activities here directed to the promotion of human rights. The Electoral Code prescribes all these measures,” Ishkhanyan noted.

Turning to the approval of the 2017-19 project of the activities based on the national strategy on human rights protection, Chairman of Helsinki Committee of Armenia noted that he is a little skeptical as few points of the former program have been realized so far. “If they adopt a new program, it is important to clearly state who carries out monitorings and who are responsible for the program,” he said.

As for the improvement of the process of compulsory enforcement of judicial acts mentioned in the government program Ishkhanyan noted that it proves the allegations that there are some issues.
He also touched upon the points regarding the law on Penitentiaries and Probation.

“The activities to improve the hygienic and heating conditions in 10 penitentiaries is appreciated. This shows that the inmates live in inhuman conditions. And finally improving the functioning of the State Probation Service is a positive measure. If I am not mistaken the law on “Probation” was scheduled to be adopted in 2018, but the new government program prescribes to adopt It in 2017.”

Avetik Ishkhanyan hopes that his remarks on the above mentioned points will be considered.