- Nina Pirumyan met with UNHCR’s Liv Feijen on April 7th.
- They discussed the protection of rights of those displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.
- Pirumyan also presented the mandate of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender.
- Current issues and ongoing work regarding refugees and asylum seekers were addressed.
- Both parties emphasized the importance of continued cooperation.
Armenia’s Human Rights Defender’s Office and UNHCR Discuss Rights of Displaced Persons from Nagorno-Karabakh
Yerevan, Armenia – Nina Pirumyan, the Chief of Staff of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, received Liv Feijen, the Deputy Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Armenia, on April 7, 2025. The meeting, as reported by the Human Rights Defender’s office, focused on a range of human rights issues, with a particular emphasis on the protection of the rights of individuals forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.
During the meeting, Nina Pirumyan provided Liv Feijen with an overview of the mandate of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia. This included the office’s work on protecting the rights of women, children, national minorities, and persons with disabilities, as well as its efforts in combating discrimination across various sectors.
A significant portion of the discussion was dedicated to the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and, notably, those who were forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. Pirumyan outlined the current challenges faced by these groups and detailed the ongoing work being undertaken to ensure their rights are protected. In this context, she underscored the crucial and continuous nature of the cooperation between the Human Rights Defender’s office and the UNHCR.
For her part, Liv Feijen expressed her gratitude for the meeting and conveyed the UNHCR’s readiness to continue its close collaboration with the Human Rights Defender’s office. She highly appreciated the role of the institution in fulfilling its mission to protect human rights within Armenia.
The meeting highlights the ongoing efforts by both national and international bodies to address the needs and protect the rights of those affected by the recent displacement from Nagorno-Karabakh. The continued cooperation between the Human Rights Defender’s office and the UNHCR will be vital in ensuring the well-being and rights of these individuals are upheld.