On 25 April 2019, the Council of Europe launched Component 2 of the Project “Supporting the criminal justice reform and harmonizing the application of the European standards in Armenia” in the sphere of criminal justice funded through the European Union and Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance (PGG II). This Project is a part of the joint efforts of the Council of Europe and the European Union in promoting their common values in the countries of the Eastern Partnership.

The Project will support Armenia in the criminal justice reform through legislative, methodological and capacity-building assistance. It will provide expert advice in the process of formulating and applying criminal and criminal procedure policy by key justice sector stakeholders. This will include capacity building for the Justice Academy, but also direct capacity building for the relevant institutions, especially the judiciary. The Project will attempt to capitalise on the heightened interest of the public towards some of these issues to both raise the awareness of European standards, but also to achieve, together with Armenian stakeholders, legislative and practical solutions most in line with the European standards.

Natalia Voutova, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, Mikhail Lobov, Head of the Human Rights Policy and Cooperation Department, Council of Europe, Gonzalo Serrano De La Rosa, Head of Co-operation Section, European Union Delegation in Armenia, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Representative of the Republic of Armenia before the European Court of Human Rights, Artak Asatryan, First Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia, Anahit Manasyan, Deputy Rector of the Justice Academy, Ashkhen Gharslyan, Head of Legal Expertise Service, Court of Cassation of Armenia, attended the launching event.