Human rights defender Anna Hovhannisyan has taken on the role of leader for the “Political Dialogue. Northern Caucasus” regional program of the Conrad Adenauer Foundation as of December 13. During her speech, Hovhannisyan outlined the goals and priorities of her work, with a strong focus on protecting the rights of vulnerable groups such as women, children, and people with disabilities. She also stressed the importance of promoting freedom of speech, human rights education, and peaceful coexistence in the face of ethnic, religious, and territorial conflicts.

One of the main tasks of the Defender is to safeguard the rights of individuals belonging to national minorities who are experiencing discrimination and violence. Hovhannisyan highlighted her recent visit to Tbilisi, Georgia, where she met with representatives of the Abkhazian public, religious and ethnic minority organizations, Lavina Ioselian, and members of an advisory group focused on knowledge and empowerment in professional education.

During these meetings, the Defender raised several important questions about the protection of the rights of individuals who have been internally displaced from the Mountainous Karabakh region. Additionally, she discussed the current challenges, needs, and the actual situation concerning her and her team’s work, including the registration of deaths, disappearances, injuries, torture, persecution, and internationally recognized human rights violations.

The collection of evidence is currently underway, and the results will be summarized and submitted to relevant government bodies. Subsequent interviews with state forensic experts and international actors will follow. Furthermore, discussions regarding potential collaboration and joint action for the program’s tasks and future prospects were held during the meetings in Tbilisi.