During her working visit to Brussels, Human Rights Defender Kristine Grigoryan met with EU Special Commissioner for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore, Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia of the European External Action Service Luke Devine, the European Commission's Directorate General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Affairs for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and With David Cullen, Head of Eastern Partnership Affairs.
During the meetings, Mrs. Grigoryan referred to the policy of Armenian hatred continued by the high-ranking leadership of Azerbaijan, manifestations of hate speech, and hate crimes, presenting details of the consequences of the attack of Azerbaijan on the sovereign territory of Armenia on September 13-14, numerous war crimes, including torture, as well as inhumane and cases of degrading treatment. The defender provided the interlocutors with special reports published by the institution on the consequences of the attack.
During the meeting with EU Special Commissioner for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore, Kristine Grigoryan presented the situation of human rights protection in RA, among others, the challenges in the fight against family violence, women's economic empowerment and empowerment, and the fight against discrimination. In her speech, Grigoryan emphasized the importance of applying the global human rights sanctions regime adopted by the EU in 2020 to counter the atmosphere of impunity in the region. Eamon Gilmore congratulated the Defender on assuming the mandate and expressed his readiness to deepen cooperation.
At the meeting with Luke Devin, Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Europe and Central Asia, the interlocutors discussed the consequences of the Azerbaijani attack on the territory of Armenia and their impact on the situation of human rights protection.
Within the framework of the meeting with David Cullen, Head of the Department for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Eastern Partnership of the European Commission's Directorate General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Affairs, the Defender presented the implementation process of the EU-funded programs aimed at the protection and promotion of human rights and pointed out the high level of cooperation with the EU delegation in Armenia. , as well as with international partners ensuring the implementation of programs.
Presenting the main priorities of the institution, Mrs. Grigoryan highlighted the immediate needs, in response to which the EU partners reaffirmed their readiness to support the implementation of programs aimed at strengthening the institution and capacity building.