The European Court of Human Rights has granted the request for leave of the RA Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan to intervene as a third party in the case of Hakobyan v. Armenia.
This is an example of international best practice initiated by a National Human Rights Institution.
Participation in the examination of the case pending before the European Court will enable the Defender to present to the Court information on a specific case obtained within his mandate. In particular, the European Court will be provided with information regarding the provision of adequate and necessary medical assistance to the Applicant detained within criminal proceedings. The Court will also be provided with information on systemic issues related to medical care in penitentiary institutions relating to the questions raised within the complaint.
The activities of the Defender as National Preventive Mechanism are impartial and objective. It is of a unique nature as it provides unimpeded and guaranteed human rights defense activities with regard to the protection of the rights of persons deprived of liberty. Therefore, the information provided to the Court will contribute to more comprehensive examination of the case and systemic consideration of the questions raised before the Court.
As a reminder, months ago, in an official letter addressed to the Human Rights Defender of Armenia Mr. Arman Tatoyan, the President of the European Court of Human Rights Guido Raimondi noted with interest the active cooperation with the Constitutional Court and recalled that the expertise of the Human Rights Defender finds recognition in the European Court of Human Rights, which in several of its judgments concerning Armenia has referred to reports that were issued by the Defender’s Office.