Statement by Ms. Syuzanna Martirosyan, Third Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Armenia, at the High-Level Panel on Strengthening the Independence of Ombudsman Institutions

18 May, 2026

Madam President,

Excellencies,

Independent and effective Ombudsman institutions play an essential role in promoting and protecting human rights, as well as strengthening good governance and the rule of law.

Armenia remains committed to advancing its national human rights architecture in line with international standards, including the Principles on the Protection and Promotion of the Ombudsman Institution (the Venice Principles) and the Principles Relating to the Status of National Human Rights Institutions (the Paris Principles), which provide an important framework for safeguarding the independence, credibility, and effectiveness of such bodies.

The Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia continues to play a central role in the promotion and protection of human rights at the national level. It holds the highest-level “A” status accreditation, last granted in 2024 by the Sub-Committee on Accreditation of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, reflecting its full compliance with the Paris Principles.

The Office of the Human Rights Defender addresses a broad range of human rights issues affecting people in vulnerable situations, with particular attention, inter alia, to the protection of children, women and girls, persons with disabilities, persons with mental health conditions and persons deprived of liberty. The Draft Law “On the Prevention of and Protection from Discrimination” designates the Human Rights Defender as the national anti-discrimination body, including through the establishment of a specialized unit dedicated to these issues.

Amendments to the Constitutional Law “On the Human Rights Defender,” adopted in October 2025, further clarified the Defender’s mandate, strengthened its research and awareness-raising functions, introduced additional safeguards for personal data protection in complaint procedures, and expanded powers to conduct unannounced visits to specialized institutions, including those serving children and persons with disabilities.

Within the framework of its constitutional mandate, the Human Rights Defender regularly submits proposals and written opinions aimed at improving legal and regulatory acts. In 2025, more than 70% of recommendations of systemic nature submitted by the Defender were fully or partially implemented by state bodies.

The number of applications and complaints received throughout 2025 increased significantly, including those related to criminal proceedings and judicial decisions. Through its interventions, the Human Rights Defender contributed to the effective resolution of numerous individual cases, reflecting growing public trust in the institution and its mandate. In this regard, Armenia highly values its close cooperation with the Council of Europe and other international partners in strengthening national human rights protection mechanisms.

Madam President,

The effective functioning of the Human Rights Defender remains an important indicator of democratic consolidation and the irreversibility of ongoing legal and institutional reforms in Armenia. We remain firmly committed to further strengthening the Human Rights Defender institution in line with the Venice Principles, ensuring an enabling environment for the effective implementation of its mandate.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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