Attachments
Human Rights Council
Fifty-seventh session
9 September–9 October 2024
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development
Summary
The Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence, Fabián Salvioli, presents his report on his visit to Armenia from 16 to 24 November 2023, including his findings and recommendations.
In the present report, the Special Rapporteur examines the transitional justice measures adopted by successive administrations to address the legacy of serious violations of human rights endured in the context of repressive rule, autocratic governments and armed conflict. Although not part of a transitional justice process, many measures have been aimed at reversing the heritage of autocratic regimes and providing redress to soldiers and victims of conflict. However, progress in the areas of truth-seeking, criminal justice, reparation and memorialization has been uneven, requiring renewed and targeted efforts. Concerning guarantees of non-recurrence, the Special Rapporteur notes the adoption of measures to reform institutions and regulations to prevent State abuse and violence while underscoring that they require further consolidation.
Annex
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Fabián Salvioli, on his visit to Armenia
I. Introduction
1. From 16 to 24 November 2023, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence conducted an official visit to Armenia to assess measures in the areas of truth, justice, reparation, memorialization and guarantees of non-recurrence that have been adopted to address the legacy of serious violations of human rights endured in situations of conflict, autocracy and State repression. He extends his appreciation to the authorities in Armenia for their openness and cooperation during his visit and thanks the United Nations presence in the country for providing support during the preparation and conduct of the visit.
2. The Special Rapporteur visited Yerevan, Jermuk and Yeghegis and the Syunik region and made field visits to refugee camps, conflict sites and memorials of past human rights violations.
3. The Special Rapporteur met with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Security Council, the National Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Working Group of the Inter-agency Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons, the Central Electoral Commission, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the representative of Armenia on international legal matters, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Judicial Council, the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, the Standing Committee on Defence and Security and the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Affairs of the National Assembly, as well as the Human Rights Defender of Armenia.
4. The Special Rapporteur also met with victims and survivors, representatives of civil society, international organizations and the diplomatic community, journalists and academic experts.
II. Context
5. The Armenian people have endured a succession of gross human rights violations in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including: genocide during the First World War; deportation, purges and repression under the rule of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and international crimes in the context of the conflict in the former Nagorno-Karabakh region. Following the transition from Soviet rule, human rights abuses committed by State officials, especially before 2018, included cases of arbitrary detention and the excessive use of force during public assemblies, suspicious non-combat-related deaths of soldiers and conscripts in the armed forces and torture at the hands of law enforcement officials. Large-scale violations of property rights and electoral rights were also endured during the latter period and until 2018.
6. In the present report, the Special Rapporteur examines the progress made in Armenia in the areas of truth-seeking, criminal accountability, reparations, memorialization and institutional and legal reforms to address the legacy of those violations.