Biography

I. EDUCATION

 

University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia PA

Master of Laws, LL.M (08/2012 – 05/2013)

 

University of Pennsylvania Business (Wharton) School, Philadelphia PA

Business and Law Certificate Program, the Wharton School Executive Education (09/2012-12/2012)

 

University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia PA

Award: Distinguished Member of the Penn Law LL.M Class of 2013 (05/2013)

 

Yerevan State University, Law Faculty, Republic of Armenia

Post-graduate study (09/2004 – 06/2007)

Department of Criminal Procedure and Criminalistics, Law Faculty

                                                                               

Academic degree: Doctor of Law (Ph.D. in Law), Associate professor

 

Yerevan State University, Law Faculty, Republic of Armenia

Master of Jurisprudence (Diploma – summa cum laude) (09/2002 – 06/2004)

Department of Criminal Procedure and Criminalistics

                                                                       

Yerevan State University, Law Faculty, Republic of Armenia

                                  Bachelor of Law (Diploma – summa cum laude) (06/2002)

 

 

II.  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia

Head of the National Preventive Mechanism under the UN OPCAT

Elected by the Parliament for a period of 6 years (02/2016 – present)

 

European Court of Human Rights

Ad hoc Judge (06/2016 – present)

 

Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia

Deputy Minister (11/2013 – 02/2016)

Main responsibilities:

• Implementation of the Council of Europe and the UN Anti-Torture Committees’ (CPT, CAT, SPT) standards in the legal system of Armenia, drafting relevant legal acts (National Focal Point);

• Coordinating Implementation of the National Human Rights Strategy and its Action Plan (National Coordinator);

• Officially Representing the Government in the Parliament on Criminal Justice reforms;

• Leading the development of the new Criminal Procedure Code, the new Criminal Code and the new Penitentiary Code of Armenia (this also includes personal involvement in drafting the draft codes);

• Leading legislative reforms on domestic violence and prevention of any type of discrimination;

• Coordinating relations with International donor organizations (including fundraising activities with the EU, CoE, UNDP, USAID) and foreign states with regard to the above listed responsibilities.

 

Deputy Representative (Deputy Agent) of the Government of Armenia before the European Court of Human Rights (11/2013 – 02/2016)

Main responsibilities:

• Representing the country before the European Court (both before the Chamber and the Grand Chamber);

• Participation in the hearings held by the European Court ;

• Responsible for the execution of the European Court judgments (individual and general measures).

 

Council of Europe, Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law

Permanent International Adviser/Expert, on ad-hoc basis (03/2013 to present)

Public Monitoring Commissions (PMC) and Torture Prevention in Russian Federation

 

European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), Council of Europe

Member in respect of Armenia, elected by the Committee of Ministers (12/2011 – 11/2013)

Participation in CPT plenary meetings, monitoring visits to the Council of Europe’s member states

Member of the special WG on life-sentenced prisoners

 

Yerevan State University, Faculty of Law

Department of Criminal Procedure and Criminalistics

Visiting Professor (09/2005 to present)

Academic Courses:

 

• European Standards of Human Rights Protection in Criminal Procedure of the Republic of Armenia;

• Criminal Procedure of the Republic of Armenia;

• Preventive Measures in Criminal Procedure.

 

American University of Armenia

Visiting Professor (09/2013 to present)

Academic Courses (conducted in English):

• The Justice System of the Republic of Armenia;

• Introduction to Human Rights.

 

Academy of Justice of Armenia

Visiting Professor (01/2014 to present)

Academic and Practical Course for Judges and Prosecutors:

• Implementation of Human Rights Standards in Criminal Justice of Armenia

 

International Review Mechanism for the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), UNODC

Member of the International Expert Team in respect of Armenia (10/2010 – 11/2013)

On-site visits to the UNCAC member-states

 

Working Group for Drafting the New Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia, under the Decree of the President of the Republic of Armenia

Member (09/2010 – 05/2015)

• Drafting the Concept of the RA New Criminal Procedure Code (approved on by the Government 10.03.2011);

• Drafting the RA new Criminal Procedure Code (draft is already pending for the Parliamentary readings).

 

Working Group for Drafting the new Anti-Corruption Strategy of Armenia

Member/Representative from the Ministry of Justice (11/2013 – 04/2014)

• Drafting the Anti-Corruption Strategy and define principles for drafting the line action plans (approved by the Government on 10.04.2014)

 

Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia

Adviser to the President and the Court (04/2010 – 11/2013)

• Preparing conclusions on draft judicial acts of the Court on criminal law and criminal justice issues;

• Proposing recommendations for improving the national legal system and applying the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights.

 

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Armenia

Supporting Integrated Border Management (IBM) in the South Caucasus (EU funded)  

Coordinator of Legal Component/Expert (05/2010-07/2012)

 

• Assessing the compliance of the national IBM related legislation with international and EU standards;

• Supporting the improvement of human rights protection guarantees at border crossing points, provide recommendations to improve legal acts on combating crimes and other offences at borders.

• Ensuring cooperation in legal matters with other organisations (e.g. OSCE, UNODC, etc.).

 

 

OSCE Office in Yerevan/Human Rights Unit

Programme on Prosecution Service Reform

National Legal Exert (08/2011-11/2011)

• Analyzing national and international regulatory framework on Prosecution Service and provide recommendations for further legislative improvement;

• Prepare a report on the reform of the Armenian prosecution service together with the OSCE international expert (a Canadian Prosecutor).

 

The RA Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) as a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM)

Legal Director (03/2009-03/2011)

 

• Visiting Closed Institutions (Prisons, Psychiatric Establishments, etc.);

• Providing recommendations for effectivly combating prison overcrowding and any form of ill-treatment;

• Responsible for drafting the Human Rights Defender’s annual and ad-hoc reports as NPM;

• Drafting the Charter of the Anti-Torture Expert Council adjunct to the RA Human Rights Defender (cooperation with NGOs).

 

UNDP programme for the RA Human Rights Defender on the Analysis of the RA Penitentiary Code

vis-à-vis International Law and Human Rights instruments (EU funded)

Coordinator/Team Leader of the Legal Task Force (05/2010-10/2010)

• Analysing the RA Penitentiary, Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes vis-à-vis International Law and Human Rights standards and best practices to develop a package of recommendations.

 

Casals and Associates, Inc., a Virginia Corporation, USAID Armenia Office

Anti-Corruption Strategy Monitoring Commission of the Republic of Armenia 

Legal Consultant (04/2010-06/2010)

• Identify existing legal and institutional inefficiencies for 2009-2012 Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan monitoring and evaluation;

• Develop recommendations to overcome inefficiencies, and draft required legal instruments.

 

UNHCR Armenia Office

Programme on Strengthening Protection Capacity Project in Southern Caucasus

National Legal Consultant, Part-time (09/2009 – 12/2009)

• Assess the compliance of the RA Law on Refugees and Political Asylum with international standards, provide recommendations to improve the Law;

• Support to the improvement of refugees’ and asylum seekers’ rights protection in places of temporary deprivation of liberty and in special dwellings.

 

Human Rights Defender’s Office of the Republic of Armenia

Programme on Protecting and Ensuring Right to a Fair Trial in Armenia

Coordinator/Leader of the Criminal Justice Component/Legal expert (04/2009 – 09/2009)

 

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Armenia

South Caucasus Anti-Drug Programme, Phase V (Funded by EU)

Coordinator of Legal Component/Expert (12/2007 – 08/2009)

• Support to the improvement of drug prevention mechanisms, the treatment and rehabilitation measures for drug addicts in criminal-executive entities (penitentiary institutions) and other places of liberty deprivation;

• Assess the compliance of national legislation with the requirements of the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime and the UN Drug Conventions, as well as the EU standards;

• Support to the decriminalization of drug consumption, as well as support to the establishment of methadone treatment in Armenia

 

Association of Judges of the Republic of Armenia

Training Course for Judges on the Right to Liberty and Security under the European Convention on Human Rights (5^th Article) and the ECtHR Relevant Case-law

Trainer (07/2008)

 

School of Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Armenia 

Training Course for Prosecutors on Human Rights Protection Mechanisms in the Preliminary Stage of a Criminal Case Investigation and their Compliance with the ECHR Standards

Trainer (06/2008 – 12/2008)

                              

Cassation Court of the Republic of Armenia, Criminal Chamber 

Adviser to the Chairman (03/2007 – 12/2007)

• Prepare draft judicial acts on criminal issues at the RA Cassation Court, particularly in the area of criminal procedure and criminal law;

• Provide recommendations on national regulatory framework for harmonization of Armenian legislation with the requirements of International Law, as well as prepare relevant draft legal acts.

 

Human Rights Defender’s Office of the Republic of Armenia

Department of Reinstatement of Criminal Procedure and Military Servicemen Rights

Senior Legal Specialist (05/2004 – 03/2007)

• Carry out and lead the regular and ad-hoc monitoring visits to the places of liberty deprivation, Police stations, Investigative units, Military units;

• Examine complaints on criminal justice, torture prevention issues; facilitate thematic working groups on human rights.

 

Environmental Public Advocacy Centre (EPAC) NGO – Yerevan, Armenia

Legal Expert (01/2003 – 05/2004)

III. MAIN INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS, TRAININGS AND MONITORING VISITS

 

ECRI’s high-level seminar with national Specialised Bodies; the role of national Specialised Bodies in advising legislative and executive authorities and other stakeholders

Representing the Armenian NHRI (05/2016)

 

High-level meetings with the Belgium Government Agent before the European Court of Human Rights: establishing cooperation with the Government Agent’s Office – Brussels, Belgium

Head of the Armenian Delegation (07/2015)

 

High-level bilateral discussions with the Council of Europe Human Rights Bodies

The new principles of the execution of the Strasbourg Court judgements – Strasbourg, France

Head of the Armenian Delegation (07/2015)

 

High-level Conference on “Implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights, our shared responsibility”, adopting the Brussels Declaration – Brussels, Belgium

Head of the Armenian Delegation (03/2015)

Delivering the speech of behalf of the Government of Armenia

 

European Union-Armenia High-level Cooperation Council, the 15th Meeting – Brussels, Belgium

Participation together with the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs

Responsible for the report on Justice Sector and Human Rights reforms (01/2015)