Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

ODIHR: Post-Election Trials Reveal Shortcomings In Armenia's Justice

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • ODIHR: Post-Election Trials Reveal Shortcomings In Armenia's Justice

    ODIHR: POST-ELECTION TRIALS REVEAL SHORTCOMINGS IN ARMENIA'S JUSTICE SYSTEM

    /PanARMENIAN.Net/
    08.03.2010 18:19 GMT+04:00

    /PanARMENIAN.Net/ The conduct of the trials that took place in the
    aftermath of the March 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan reveals
    shortcomings in Armenia's justice system, a report published by the
    OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights concludes.

    The conduct of the trials that took place in the aftermath of the
    March 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan reveals shortcomings in
    Armenia's justice system, concludes a report published today by the
    OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

    The 114-page report, based on the monitoring of 93 criminal cases
    during a 16-month period, offers detailed recommendations on how to
    address the identified shortcomings.

    "The trials took place amid high tensions, which made the work of
    courts extraordinarily difficult and at the same time raised the
    bar for their professional performance to the highest levels," said
    Ambassador Janez Lenarcic, ODIHR's director.

    "We hope that this report can give new impetus to the ongoing efforts
    by the Armenian authorities to reform the country's justice system
    in line with international standards and OSCE commitments."

    The violent clashes that erupted in Yerevan on 1-2 March 2008 between
    the police and protesters demonstrating against the conduct of the
    February 2008 presidential election resulted in at least eight deaths
    and numerous injuries.

    Between April 2008 and July 2009, 37 ODIHR monitors observed the
    trials of the individuals charged in connection with the clashes.

    The report's recommendations include limiting the use of pre-trial
    detention and upholding the presumption of innocence. It also
    recommends measures to ensure equality between prosecution and
    defence in court and comprehensive investigations into all allegations
    of torture or other ill-treatment in order to eliminate the use of
    evidence obtained through illegal means. It says judges would benefit
    from further training to enhance impartiality and professional conduct.

    "The OSCE stands ready to assist the authorities in further advancing
    justice reform in Armenia," said Lenarcic.

    "We are encouraged by the open attitude we have encountered during
    the trial monitoring project and value the authorities' input in the
    process of preparing the final report. It appears that some steps
    are already being taken to address the identified shortcomings."
Working...
X