1 / 2

On April 22 the RA NA Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs organized an expanded working debate on the theme Public Control Towards Recruiting the Armed Forces, which attended NA deputies, representatives of RA Ministry of Defense, NGOs and journalists.

The Committee Chairman Hrayr Karapetyan emphasized the role of the public control and the cooperation of all concerned sides in the reforms of the defense sphere and settlement of the problems. He said that in 2009 the law enforcement NGOs, Soldier’s Mother, Helsinki Civil Assembly Vanadzor Office, Pro-active Society by the financial support of the OSCE Yerevan Office implemented The Conscript Process Monitoring program, carried out control, revealed a number of drawbacks during the last conscript and presented suggestions for rectifying them.

The Head of the NGO Soldier’s Mother Greta Mirzoyan presented the results of monitoring in 2009 spring and autumn conscript in the communities of Yerevan Arabkir, Nor Nork and Erebuni communities, in Chambarak, Martuni, Goris, Kapan.

According to the specialist of the program Anahit Hovnanyan, more than 46% cases of violating the citizens’ rights during the doctors’ examination were more of mass nature from the general violations.

The head of the program of the law enforcement NGO Pro-active Society Anna Margaryan presented the results implemented in Ararat and Kotayk marzes.

The head of the program of the Helsinki Civil Assembly Vanadzor Office Artur Sakuntz presented the results of the implemented control in Lori, Shirak and Tavush marzes.

Arman Mnatskanyan presented the results of the survey made on the contractual military service by the Pro-active Society NGO.

The chairman of the public council adjunct to RA Defense Minister Gegham Harutyunyan highly assessed the work done by the NGOs and ensured that the council would study in detail the facts and proposals presented by them and would work out appropriate mechanisms for eliminating the recorded drawbacks.

The reporters also answered the questions of those present, which related to the violations concerning the conscript and medical examination and the mechanisms of eliminating them by public control.