International Conference on Patients’ Rights

 26-27 February 2026

The Council of Europe Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (Oviedo Convention) remains the only legally binding international instrument on human rights in biomedicine and healthcare. As Armenia proceeds toward the full implementation of the principles of the Oviedo Convention within its domestic framework, it becomes critical to build a national and regional platform for dialogue, experience-sharing, and capacity-building.

The Council of Europe is putting the protection of human rights in the field of healthcare at the core of its mandate. The protection of patients’ rights has emerged as a central pillar of modern health systems and democratic governance. This international conference on the Patients’ Rights will reaffirm the commitment of both the Council of Europe and Armenia to ensuring that no one is left behind, emphasizing solidarity, equality, and dignity.

This conference will serve as the international gathering in Armenia dedicated exclusively to patients’ rights, bringing together policymakers, legal experts, experts of the biomedical field, patient organisations, healthcare professionals, and international organisations. It will also support the Reform Agenda of the Government of Armenia by raising awareness on and strengthening public understanding of patients’ rights thus promoting these rights for the benefit of Armenian population.

High level policy dialogue

 26 February 2026 | National Assembly of RA

 

Opening session

14։00-14։30
  • Alen Simonyan, Speaker of the National Assembly
  • Rafael Benitez - Director of the Directorate of Social Rights, Health and Environment, Council of Europe

Session 1: Role of the Council of Europe and international cooperation in protecting patients’ rights and Armenia’s legal framework

14:30-16:00

Objective: To explore how European standards and Council of Europe promotes human rights standards in the field of healthcare.

Moderators:

  • Rustam Bakoyan, Acting Chair of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs
  • Maxime Longangué, Head of Office, Council of Europe

Panellists:

  • Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health  of the Republic of Armenia;
  • Arsen Torosyan, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs
  • Anahit Manasyan, Human Rights Defender of Armenia
  • Anna Karapetyan, Deputy Minister of Justice
  • Dr Siddhartha Sankar Datta, Head of WHO Country Office 
  • Laurence Lwoff, Head of Health Division, Council of Europe
  • Georgios Stamatis, Member of PACE Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development

Closing remarks

16:00-16:30

International Conference on Patients’ Rights

 27 February 2026 | Armenia Mariott Hotel, Tigran Mets Ballroom II

Registration and morning coffee

09:30-10:00

Welcoming session

10:00-10:30
  • Maxime Longangué, Head of Council of Europe Office in Yerevan
  • Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health of the Republic of Armenia (TBC)
  • Rustam Bakoyan, Acting Chair of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
  • Laurence Lwoff, Head of Health Division, Council of Europe 
     

Session 2: Right to equitable access to healthcare

10:30-12:15

Objective: To examine the legal, policy, and practical dimensions of the right to equitable access to healthcare, identify barriers faced by marginalized and vulnerable populations, and explore strategies to promote inclusive, affordable, and quality healthcare services for all.

Moderator:

  • Laurence Lwoff, Head of Health Division, Council of Europe (15 min)

Participants:

Session 3: Right to privacy and informed consent

12:15-13:45

Objective: To explore European standards in the field of the right to privacy and informed consent and the mechanisms of facilitation of these standards in daily practice. 

Moderator:

  • Meri Katvalyan, Senior Project Officer, Council of Europe 

Panellists:

Lunch break (13:45-14:30)

Session 4: Human Rights and Mental Health

14:30-16:15

Objective: To explore European best standards and the national mechanism to promote the autonomy of persons with mental health issues.

Moderator and Keynote speech: 

  • Sergey Ghazinyan, lawyer, Council of Europe consultant 

Panellists:

  • Knar Ghonyan, Head of Healthcare Policy Department, Ministry of Health of RA 
  • Mushegh Hovsepyan, Chair of the “Disability Rights Agenda” NGO 
  • Marietta Khurshudyan, Public Health Officer, WHO Armenia 
  • Boglárka Benko, Senior Lawyer at the Registry of European Court of Human Rights 
  • Armen Mazmanyan, Division III \ Execution, Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe 

Session 5: Chartering ways forward. Ensuring patient-centred care

16:30-18:00

Objective: To explore ways of further promoting patients’ rights and trust towards healthcare system

Moderator:  

  • Laurence Lwoff, Head of Health Division, Council of Europe

Panellists: 

  • Sven-Eric Söder, Chair of the Swedish Medical Ethics Council 
  • Viktorya Aydinyan, Head of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 
  • Lusine Hayrapetyan, Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Health of RA, Representative of Armenia at the CDBIO of the Council of Europe 
  • Violetta Zopunyan, healthcare lawyer 
  • Laurence Lwoff, Head of Health Division, Council of Europe

Closing remarks

18:00-18:30

 Photos

 Speakers

Späť Violetta ZOPUNYAN

Healthcare lawyer
Violetta ZOPUNYAN

Violetta Zopunyan is a healthcare lawyer and Founder-President of the Center for Rights Development NGO in Armenia. Following her fellowship in “Human Rights in Patient Care,” she has dedicated more than 17 years to advancing the protection of patients’ and healthcare professionals’ rights, legislative analysis, and advocacy for reforms in the field of health law.

She is a member of the Ethics Commission reviewing violations of professional ethical standards by healthcare professionals, as well as of the Public Council and the Licensing Commission under the Ministry of Health of Armenia. She has contributed to national policy discussions on universal health insurance, mental health reform, palliative care, and reproductive health rights, and is the author of multiple reports and publications on patients’ rights, including CEPA health sector monitoring. Ms Zopunyan teaches health law in accredited continuing medical education programmes and at the master’s level in healthcare management. She regularly participates in international academic and professional forums and has delivered a TEDx talk on patients’ rights. Her
work focuses on strengthening rights-based healthcare governance and accountability mechanisms in Armenia.

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