OSCE organizes meeting on human rights of armed forces personnel in Armenia

YEREVAN, 9 April 2009 - The OSCE Office in Yerevan and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) organized a roundtable meeting today on human rights and fundamental freedoms of armed forces personnel in Armenia.

The event, hosted by the Armenian Defence Ministry, focused on the human rights of Armenian armed forces personnel. Representatives from the government and parliament, the human rights defender's office and civil society discussed how they could co-operate better in this field, including on the issue of the oversight over the armed forces.

Representatives from the ODIHR and the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces presented good practices from throughout the OSCE region, using examples collected in the joint Handbook on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Armed Forces Personnel. The handbook describes the international regulatory framework for the proper treatment of armed forces personnel and gives guidance on how to implement these commitments. Meeting participants discussed the handbook in light of the Armenian context and explored how its recommendations could be applied in the country.

"Working with the authorities on the human rights of Armenian armed forces personnel is a priority for the OSCE Office in Yerevan. Today's discussion contributed significantly to this," said the Head of the OSCE Office, Ambassador Sergey Kapinos.

The OSCE Office has supported Armenia's efforts to improve human rights in the armed forces as part of its assistance in the country's security sector reform.

Toralv Nordbo, ODIHR First Deputy Director, added: "OSCE participating States have committed to treat armed forces personnel in conformity with international human rights standards, and doing so is also a matter of good policy for the military as an employer and public institution."