On April 5, Human Rights Defender Kristinne Grigoryan hosted Nelli Tumasyan, the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ) Project coordinator in Armenia. Frank Hupfeld, the Head of IRZ South-Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus section, joined the meeting via video conferencing, with whom several questions about future collaboration were discussed.

Defender Grigoryan greeted the international partners, noting that the experience of effective cooperation of the Ombudsman institution with the IRZ provides for a solid basis for further development of collaboration.

Frank Hupfeld, in their turn, expressed gratitude for the meeting and congratulated Kristinne Grigoryan on assuming the responsible mission of Human Rights Defender. Highlighting the previous experience of effective collaboration with Kristinne Grigoryan, Mr. Hupfeld expressed confidence in furthering cooperation within the framework of the Defender’s mission.

During the agenda issues discussion, the parties reflected on the results of the previously organized capacity building event and a number of issues related to identifying new areas of program cooperation.

Defender Grigoryan, in particular, emphasized the importance of strengthening the monitoring capacity of the relevant division of the Human Rights Defender’s Office as a national preventive mechanism (NPM) within the framework of new areas of cooperation.

As well the importance of joint training for emergency physicians, criminal police, and Ombudsman staff in order to develop the capacity to properly record cases of torture and ill-treatment was highlighted. Also, the Defender stressed the necessity of monitoring law enforcement practices on the institute of apprehension in line with the provisions of the newly adopted Criminal Procedure Code.

Frank Hupfeld expressed readiness for program cooperation with the Ombudsman’s staff in the new directions, praising the results of summarizing previous joint programs.