OSCE Office supports human rights awards in Armenia

YEREVAN, 4 June 2012 – Individuals working to promote human rights, accountable governance and free speech in Armenia were acknowledged today at a ceremony hosted by the US Embassy and co-organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the EU Delegation to Armenia, the British Embassy in Armenia and Counterpart International.

The Universal Human Rights Awards event recognizes the importance of the contributions of civil rights activists, government officials and media representatives in the areas of democratic reform and participatory governance.

Presenting the editors of online news outlet Epress.am Sonya Apresova, Yuri Manvelian and Armen Melikbekian with an award for their fair and balanced coverage and their commitment to human rights reporting, the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador Andrey Sorokin, said: “Epress’s coverage of human rights plays an important role in informing the public and contributing to public debate. This type of reporting is an important contribution to Armenia’s democratic transformation.”

USAID Armenia Mission Director, Jatinder Cheema, a host of the ceremony, awarded Artur Sakunts with the Freedom Defender Award. “Artur defends all minorities, especially those that are the target of intolerance, such as ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities. He is not afraid to take unpopular stances, working constantly for a better and more open future for Armenia,” said Cheema.

Tsovinar Nazaryan was presented with the Women of Courage Award for her military reform efforts and the Deputy Chief of the Armenian Police, Major-General Artur Osikyan, received the Government Reformer Award for his contribution to police reform, especially regarding improvements to the police educational system. Environmental activists Apres Zohrabian, Yeghia Nersesian, Gor Hakobian, Mary Khachatrian and Ruzanna Grigorian were presented with the Civic Activism Award for their grassroots campaign to promote environmental conservation in Armenia.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at the event and met with the award recipients. Armenian government officials, foreign diplomats, NGO representatives and the press attended the ceremony.