A Council of Europe workshop held on 21 July 2026 brought together representatives of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Investigative Committee of Armenia to strengthen their joint response to domestic violence. The event advanced inter-institutional co-operation aimed at ensuring timely, effective and victim-centred protection from the moment a case is reported.

Participants discussed how international human rights standards, and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights can be applied in the investigation context. They addressed key operational issues, including risk assessment, victim safety, emergency protection measures, evidence collection and due diligence in criminal investigations.

The workshop also contributed to the ongoing development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for police response to domestic violence. Participants identified practical priorities to clarify institutional responsibilities, improve information exchange and promote more consistent case handling between the Police and the Investigative Committee.

The Head of the Professional Methodological Support Department of the Community Police highlighted: "Today's discussions provided an opportunity to openly address practical challenges in handling domestic violence cases, particularly the referral of cases from the Police to the Investigative Committee and coordination throughout this process. It also helped to identify areas and common approaches for further joint work and more coordinated and effective response to domestic violence."

The workshop contributes to the Council of Europe's continued support to the Armenian authorities in building a more consistent, co-ordinated and victim-centred response to violence against women and domestic violence, in line with the Istanbul Convention.

The event was organised as part of the “Ending violence against women and promoting gender equality in Armenia” Project phase II.