HRC 49th Session: Item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on torture Delivered by Armine Petrosyan, Second Secretary

11 March, 2022

President,

Armenia thanks Special Rapporteur Melzer for his work carried out throughout the mandate and wishes him every success in the future endeavors.

We appreciate SR’s latest report and in particular the overview of the scope and practical relevance of the Mandate’s thematic reports as drivers for change of national laws and policies toward eradication of torture and ill-treatment.

We share the view that the claims on prohibition of torture and ill-treatment are not realistic on the background of systematic denial of credible evidences on such wrongdoings, as well as evasive responses provided by States and persistence in not complying with their international obligations.

Such a vivid case in point is Azerbaijan that simply ignores the communications of the Special procedures in the sheer defiance of its international obligations. The Human Rights Watch and other international watchdogs too have reported on numerous cases of torture, cruel or degrading treatment and psychological pressure on PoWs and civilians committed by Azerbaijan, as well as egregious instances of extrajudicial killings of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In this regard we would like to inquire how the UN human rights machinery can address the patterns of neglect to the communications addressed to the states?

I thank you.

MFA RA
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