OSCE Office organizes Armenian Ombudsman visit to France

YEREVAN, 5 May 2009 - A two-day visit of Armenia's Ombudsman, Armen Harutyunyan, to the French Ombudsman institution, organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan with the French Embassy in Armenia, finished today.

Harutyunyan and his French counterparts discussed investigation of individual human rights complaints, co-operation with state bodies, public relations and other practical matters. He also met representatives of the Foreign Ministry and France-Armenia Friendship Group at the National Assembly, and was filmed for French TV programme Dossier Urgent with the French Ombudsman, Jean-Paul Delevoye.

"I found this trip very useful from the point of view of sharing experiences and getting new ideas on how the Ombudsman institution should operate. This kind of initiative strengthens the co-operation between institutions and contributes to their effectiveness," said Harutyunyan.

Later this month, an event to mark the fifth anniversary of the Armenian ombudsman institution will be organized with the participation of human rights institutions from different countries, including France.

"OSCE participating States should support and promote the vital role played by the human rights institutions in protecting human rights in their respective countries," said Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan. "Supporting exchanges of experience and information between national human rights institutions will strengthen the work of human rights defenders."

The OSCE Office in Yerevan has supported the Ombudsman institution from its inception through the provision of legislative expertise, capacity building exercises, expert opinion and best practices in the field.