YEREVAN (ArmRadio)—Armenian Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan met on January 23 with Philippe Boillat, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe.
Tatoyan presented the issue of extradition of Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin as well as the Azerbaijani attacked on the Armenian village of Chinari.
The Armenian Ombudsman noted that the “decision on his extradition is of political nature, poses a direct threat to freedom of speech and creates an impermissible precedent.”
“It’s a harsh violation of the European human rights protection system,” Tatoyan said, adding that “journalists’ visits to Artsakh cannot be subject to any persecution.”
According to the Ombudsman, the case comes to prove the need to make visits to Artsakh more frequent and intensify the involvement of the Artsakh Ombudsman and international entities.
Tatoyan also gave the report on the consequences of the Azeri attack on Armenia’s Chinari village to Boillat.
The parties agreed to deepen the joint cooperation and implement new programs in the field of protection of the rights of people in detention and servicemen and others. They attached importance to the work with civil society and journalists.
Source: Asbarez
Link: Human Rights Defender Presents Lapshin Issue, Azeri Attacks to Council of Europe