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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.

The process of establishing a Human Rights House in Yerevan, Armenia, has reached a new milestone. Together with the core group of organisations, Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) finalised the purchase of a house that will be the future work premises for 11 human rights organisations and a hub for human rights in Armenia.

The exhibition “Women Human Rights Defenders: Portraits of Strength” is being held from 30 June to 30 July 2016 at America House in Kyiv, Ukraine. It features 18 women human rights defenders in the Human Rights House Network, acknowledging the vital role that women play locally, nationally, and internationally in protecting and promoting human rights.

The Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders on good practices on the protection of human rights defenders and his consultative work with civil society organisations.The protection of human rights defenders is an essential part of the obligations that international human rights law imposes on States.

The Armenian election commission claims 63% voted “yes” to government-backed constitutional amendments on 6th December. Observers claim large-scale vote rigging and intimidation.

HRHN welcomes the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the resolution. This will protect, empower, and support human rights defenders, and address the increasingly threatening climate in which they work.