Human Rights Defender’s Office will implement the OSCE project aimed at supporting democratic elections in Armenia, Armenia’s Ombudsman said.

As Karen Andreasyan said during the launch of the project in Yerevan, the EU will allocate 1,7 million euro for the project implementation, with 270 thous. euro to be provided to Human Rights Defender’s Office.

“The amount will also be directed to paying the salaries of over 100 lawyers, who will be recruited after careful selection process, purchasing of over 30 cars, furniture and technology for the office,” Mr. Andreasyan said.

He further noted that 1-66 hotline created in the framework of the program will be used not only in case of voting rights violations, but in the face of all kinds of human rights violations.

“The financing will be implemented within 19 months, after completion of which, Armenian government will hopefully assume further financing of the program,” Mr. Andreasyan said.

Yerevan officially hosted the launch of the project providing assistance to Armenian Human Rights Defender’s office, implemented by OSCE Office with the financial support of the EU. The head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Onno Simons, head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan Andrey Sorokin, RA Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan, as well as Carel Hofstra, Deputy Head of OSCE Office in Yerevan attended the launch of the project.

The project stipulates creation of hotline to avert human rights violations during elections and establishment of a rapid response group consisting of professional lawyers.

Human Rights Defender’s Office subsidiaries will open in Armenia’s six cities (Gyumri, Kapan, Gavar, Ijevan, Yeghegnadzor and Vanadzor) to assist conduction of free and independent elections in Armenia without human rights violations.

The project overall costs 1.7 million Euro. It is implemented by OSCE Office with the financial support of the EU.