Kristine Grigoryan drew attention of CoE Coordinator to violations of  fundamental rights of 1,400 children displaced as a result of  Azerbaijani aggression

ArmInfo.On September 28, Human Rights Defender Ms.  Kristinne Grigoryan conducted a meeting with the Head of the Children's Rights Division and CoE Coordinator  for the Rights of the Child, Ms. Regina Jensdottir, and the Secretary  of the Steering Committee on Combating Discrimination, Diversity and  Inclusion, Mr. Wolfram Bechtel.

As the press service of the RA HRD reports, during the meeting with  the Coordinator for the Rights of the Child, Ms. Kristinne Grigoryan  referred to the mandate of the Human Rights Defender and the main  directions of activities in the field of children's rights  protection, presented details about the initiative to form a public  council on children's and youth rights adjunct to the Human Rights  Defender and the process of its implementation, as well as the  activities carried out in the direction of ensuring children's right  to participate in the decision-making process.

Ms. Jensdottir welcomed the Defender's initiatives aimed at ensuring  children's participation in the decision-making process and presented  the CoE toolkit for evaluating the process of ensuring children's  participation. Ms. Jensdottir was interested in the issues of  ensuring access to justice for children in Armenia, as well as issues  related to the rights of minors in penitentiary institutions.

The Defender, presenting the facts contained in the report published  by the Defender of Human Rights on September 16, drew the attention  of the CoE Coordinator for the Rights of the Child to the violations  of the fundamental rights of displaced persons, including more than  1400 children, due the Azerbaijani aggression. 

During the meeting with Mr. Wolfram Bechtel, Secretary of the  Steering Committee on Combating Discrimination, Diversity and  Inclusion of the CoE, issues related to the adoption of comprehensive  legislation on ensuring equality of rights in Armenia, the combat  against hate speech, as well as defining the prevention and  responsibility of hate crimes were discussed. Referring to the report  published on September 16, Ms. Grigoryan emphasized that the war  crimes committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces constitute the  direct result of the incitement and promotion of the Armenophobia of  the Azerbaijani authorities, and these crimes are carried out on the  basis of hatred.

In his speech, Mr. Bechtel noted the important role of public  officials in refraining from and preventing hate speech.