Ombudsman raises Armed Forces disciplinary policy issues

«Armed Forces are the mirror of the society. We should understand that we must not only condemn some institutions, but we should also try to raise issues to give solutions to them,» Armenian Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan said in his extraordinary report on «Protection of human rights when carrying out disciplinary policy in the Armenian Armed Forces».

A. Harutyunyan said, in accordance with the principles they have adopted, reference to the up-to-date issues will be made through the extraordinary reports. He noted that this report has been made due to the efforts of the OSCE Office in Armenia and the Office of the Human Rights Defender.

The report will be submitted to the Armenian Government and Defense Ministry. A. Harutyunyan hoped the issues arisen in the report will be subject to efficient discussions.

Not going deep into the details of the report, A. Harutyunyan noted only that «it’s one of our dispositions that the armed forces commander should bear personal responsibility for all his staff problems.» As he said, many disciplinary issues are of punishing importance and these are considered right for the given cases, anyway, the provisions of the Human Rights International Convention should be spread on these as well.

According to A. Harutyunyan, this report is one of those single ones which deserved no condemnation; moreover, it has been welcomed and supported by the Defense Ministry.

«The report main mission is to ensure the militaries feel they are protected, and the public confidence in the Armed Forces increases,» A. Harutyunyan noted.