Înapoi Supporting the launch of an awareness-raising initiative by the Armenian Ministry of Justice on the protection of whistleblowers

Supporting the launch of an awareness-raising initiative by the Armenian Ministry of Justice on the protection of whistleblowers

Financial support was provided to the Ministry of Justice of Armenia to launch an awareness raising initiative on the protection of whistleblowers. The Partnership for Good Governance project will work closely with the national authorities of the country, to support the implementation of several activities outlined in the Action Plan developed by the Ministry of Justice to consolidate the existing system and legislative framework on whistleblowing.

The event’s opening session featured keynote speakers including Mr Karen Karapetyan, Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr Maxime Longangue, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, Mr Jan Plešinger, Head of Political, Press and Information Section of Delegation of the European Union to Armenia.

The launch event provided a platform to foster a fruitful discussion on the the country's legal framework concerning the whistleblowing system. Officials from the Ministry of Justice, Anti-Corruption Committee, and non-governmental organisations discussed with participants current mechanisms outlined in the Law on “Whistleblowing system” and existing protection mechanisms for whistleblowers.

Best practices and standards regarding the protection of whistleblowers, emphasizing the significance of enforcing the established provisions, were provided. Examples from other jurisdictions were presented to the audience together with additional directions for improving the legislative framework of Armenia on the whistleblowing system.

The aim is to support further the Ministry of Justice with raising awareness, among civil society representatives and national stakeholders, regarding international standards in the field of whistleblowing and available tools to avoid retaliation against those reporting corruption offences and wrongdoings. In addition, advice will be provided to improve the legislative framework of Armenia in the field of whistleblowing in line with European Union and Council of Europe legal instruments.

By building on effective cooperation with national stakeholders, through the project, the Armenian authorities are expected to further enhance the effectiveness of national corruption prevention system.

This event is part of the European Union and the Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the project on “Enhancing national capacities for effective prevention and fight against economic crime in Armenia".

YEREVAN, ARMENIA 29 NOVEMBER 2023
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Strasbourg, France Strasbourg, 1-2 July 2024
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Addressing hate speech and hate crime: regional gathering of the network of Equality Bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership Region

A two-day workshop on addressing hate speech and hate crime took place at the premises of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, involving Equality bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions.  The event supported by the EU and Council of Europe, gathered 50 representatives from both regions who discussed and exchanged on the best practices, measures and common challenges when addressing hate speech and hate crime. Through monitoring and reporting, policy advocacy, raising awareness and supporting victims equality bodies play a fundamental role in protecting human rights and ensuring that all individuals are treated equally.

In her opening remarks, Angela Longo, Head of Anti-discrimination Co-operation Unit, Council of Europe, underlined the significant progress in engaging with Equality Bodies through this network, regularly exchanging best practices and addressing the challenges of hatred and intolerance in societies. She highlighted that this new chapter of discussion delves into the grey area between hate speech and hate crime, addressing issues of incitement and biases,

Representatives from Equality Bodies had the opportunity to discuss and enhance their knowledge on the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers Recommendation to member States on combating hate crime, adopted on 7th May 2024, as well as gain a clearer understanding of EU standards in the field of hate crime. Moreover, participants engaged in exchanges with peers from the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE), who shared insights on addressing hate speech in the public discourse. The National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) in Italy provided practical examples for developing counter-narratives and raising awareness initiatives.

They also explored opportunities to advocate for legislative reform, foster multisectoral co-operation, enhance data collection, and overall improve national mechanisms to counter hate crimes.

This seminar was organised within the action “Promoting equality and combating racism and intolerance in the Western Balkans” and the project “Promoting equality and non-discrimination: towards more resilient and inclusive societies” – co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe  under the joint Programmes “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and “Partnership for Good Governance”.

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