On Armenia’s Contribution to the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

11 July, 2022

The 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) took place in Geneva from 13 June to 8 July 2022. The interactive dialogues and panel discussions of the 50th Session of the HRC focused on the key issues on the Council’s agenda, such as the rights of women and girls, issues related to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and of association, the human rights of internally displaced persons and migrants, climate change, recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and protection of the right to health. The Council also addressed the right to education, issues related to combating trafficking in persons, and extrajudicial executions. A number of interactive dialogues were held on the country-specific human rights situations.

In his capacity of the Vice-President of the HRC, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan presided over a number of the HRC meetings, as well as participated in the decision-making and implementation on the organizational and procedural matters of the HRC Bureau.

The delegation of Armenia delivered 35 statements and rights of reply in its national capacity, including 4 general comments and 1 explanation of vote during the adoption of the HRC resolutions.

The Permanent Mission of Armenia addressed most of the substantive issues of the HRC session and presented Armenia’s priorities in the field of human rights, as well as Armenia’s dedication and commitment to democratic values and their development. It was also emphasized that adhering to its priorities, Armenia, as a member of the Human Rights Council, continues to contribute to the prevention of genocide and other mass atrocities by strengthening national and international mechanisms.

During the relevant interactive dialogues of the Session, Armenia presented the facts of gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as the war crimes committed by Azerbaijan in Artsakh and in the bordering regions of Armenia. The issues of the extrajudicial executions, missing persons, prisoners-of-war, destruction and annihilation of the cultural and religious monuments, as well as obstruction of the humanitarian access for international organizations by Azerbaijan were presented to the Council. It was stressed that Azerbaijan ignores the decisions of the international courts, as well as the clear questions of the UN Special Procedures.

At the 50th Session of the HRC Armenia co-sponsored a number of important resolutions, including on the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the independence and impartiality of judges and lawyers, on the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, on casualty recording, on the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on violence against girls and women, on human rights and climate change, on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, on the regulation of civilian acquisition, possession and use of firearms, as well as on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.

During the Session Armenia aligned with 6 Joint statements. Armenia also circulated 4 Note Verbales as official UN documents that addressed the Nagorno Karabakh issue, including the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the massacres of Armenians in Maragha.

Within the framework of the 50th Session of HRC the Permanent Mission of Armenia also participated in the multicultural event, where the UN member States presented their national traditions and cuisine.

The next, 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council will start in September 2022.

Information on Armenia’s participation in the preceding HRC Sessions, as well as the statements delivered by the Permanent Mission of Armenia are available online at the following website: https://switzerland.mfa.am/en/news.

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