The Department for the prevention of torture and ill-treatment of the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia:
- ensures the proper and effective implementation of the functions of the Human Rights Defender as the independent national preventive mechanism defined by the Optional Protocol to the “Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment”,
- provides legal advice to citizens on their rights and freedoms, as well as on the legal measures and procedures for the effective protection of those rights and freedoms,
- within its jurisdiction conducts the reception of citizens,
- ensures the procedure of studying and handling the complaints on the violations of the rights of persons deprived of liberty (family members of persons deprived of liberty, persons deprived of liberty in the past),
- requires information, explanations and supporting documents from competent state and local self-government bodies and their officials to ensure the procedure of handling complaints,
- reveals and analyzes legislative problems and gaps in the domestic legal acts in the sphere of protection of rights of persons deprived of their liberty and, if necessary, prepares letters and recommendations addressed to the relevant state bodies,
- studies the detention facilities, conditions, the rights of persons deprived of their liberty (monitoring),
- makes visits to places where there are violations of the rights and freedoms of persons deprived of their liberty or there are reasons to suspect them,
- participates in the development of public reports through analysis of the results of the visits to places of deprivation of liberty and identification of systemic problems,
- participates in meetings and discussions with NGOs and international organizations, representatives of state bodies, international experts and other persons,
- within its competence cooperates with state and local self-government bodies and international organizations.