Last week, the Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan received the Delegation from Tajikistan, that arrived to Armenia to examine the experience of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia in the field of torture prevention. The study visit was organized in the framework of a project implemented by the Central Asia Office of the Penal Reform International.
“The field of torture prevention requires close cooperation with relevant state bodies, civil society organizations and international partners. In this field we should be guided with the principle of “do not harm”. It is important to achieve the trust of detainees and convicts, for the purpose of effective protection of their rights”, -mentioned Arman Tatoyan during the meeting.
Within the project, the members of the delegation got acquainted with the activities of the Human Rights Defender as National Preventive Mechanism, as well as methods and principals of the work of the Defender’s Office during unannounced monitoring visits to places of deprivation of liberty with an aim to implement them in their country.
For the purpose of comprehensive field examination, meetings were organized at the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice, the Department of Supervision over Legality of Penalties and Other Means of Compulsion at the Prosecutor General's Office and Probation Service.
During the study visit, with the representatives of the Human Rights Defender’s Office joint visits were organized to Armavir Penitentiary Institution and to the RA Police Detention Facility.
At the end of the visit, the members of the delegation expressed their readiness for further effective cooperation.