Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05YEREVAN546
2005-03-29 07:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:  

PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL TO REVISE OMBUDSMAN LAW

Tags:  PHUM PGOV AM 
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UNCLAS YEREVAN 000546 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT. FOR EUR/CACEN, DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV AM
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL TO REVISE OMBUDSMAN LAW
DIES IN COMMITTEE

Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000546

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT. FOR EUR/CACEN, DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV AM
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL TO REVISE OMBUDSMAN LAW
DIES IN COMMITTEE

Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.


1. (SBU) The Armenian National Assembly has effectively
refused two Presidential requests to revise the law on
the Human Rights Defender, according to the Ombudsman,
Larissa Alaverdian. The separate proposals would have
limited the Ombudsman's power to obtain court documents
and would have incorporated the office's staff into the
Armenian civil service. Alaverdian feared that either
change would have compromised the independence of her
office. On March 18, the Assembly's Committee on Legal
Affairs rejected President Kocharian's proposal to
restrict the Ombudsman's access to court documents, a
rare defeat for Kocharian. The same committee has also
indefinitely delayed Kocharian's request to make the
Ombudsman's staff part of the civil service according
to Alaverdian.


2. (SBU) Alaverdian, who claimed she did not lobby
Assembly members, told us that the National Assembly is
committed to her office because deputies drafted its
original legislation without input from the executive
branch. She said collaboration with the European
Council created a strong vision for the office, and
legislators are committed to that vision.
EVANS