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Women’s Resource Center Armenia (WRCA), member of Human Rights House Yerevan, has received the “With and For Girls Award” in recognition of its work to improve the lives of girls. The award is administered by the With and For Girls Collective – a group of seven organisations united by a common belief that girls are agents of change.

On day two of the #HRHN2016 Assembly, the Human Rights Houses, joined by external experts, discussed the growing trend toward illiberal democracy, autocracy, and populism, and proposed solutions for how civil society can resist this trend.

“This is the second time in recent years that journalists have been targeted during protests. Last year during the events of ‘Electric Yerevan’ journalists were targeted for the first time in recent years,” commented Helsinki Association for Human Rights, contributor to the report Burnt, Beaten and Betrayed: Armenians Awaiting Accountability for Police Violence.

Mika Danielyan, chairperson of HRH Yerevan, passed away on 24 August. Human Rights Houses extend their deepest sympathies to Mika’s colleagues, friends, and family in Yerevan, and share the following tributes.

The Human Rights House Network (HRHN) is deeply concerned about the disproportionate use of force against peaceful protestors in Armenia, in connection with “Erebuni” protests that began on 17 July.

During “Erebuni” mass protests in Yerevan, largely peaceful protests have been met with disproportionate force, detentions, and provocations by law enforcement, leading to violent confrontations between police and protestors. The authorities have failed to meet their obligation to facilitate and support peaceful protests, and in many cases they have undermined efforts to ensure events remained peaceful.

Members of Human Rights House Yerevan report that police have detained up to 80 people in Armenia since the protests began. There are also allegations that police did not provide information on some of these persons’ whereabouts for many hours, did not grant them timely access to legal representation, and have used disproportionate force against protestors. These detentions come amid mass protests in Yerevan, sparked by the armed occupation of a police station in the city’s Erebuni district.

Members of Human Rights House Yerevan have issued a joint statement condemning police activities against peaceful citizens, and calling on the police and security services, as well as other stakeholders, to act to ensure the rights and freedoms of citizens are respected and protected.

On the 12 of July at the UN, high-level representatives from States, civil society and the private sector discussed the human rights situation in the world. There was also a first televised live debate with the candidates for Secretary General at the United Nations, which was open for questions from the public.