By: Clemence Velon-Bazzana, Communication Associate
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute welcomed in Lund a delegation of the Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Office of the Representative of Armenia on International Legal Matters and the Court of Cassation of Armenia, as part of a 3-day high-level study visit in Denmark and Sweden, organized within the framework of the Council of Europe Project “Further Support to the Implementation of the ECHR through effective execution of the European Court of Human Rights judgments in Armenia”.
The delegation brought together representatives from Armenia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia, including the Deputy Minister, of the Office of the Representative on International Legal Matters under the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, including the Head of Office, as well as judges of the Court of Cassation (Supreme Court), including the Chairpersons of the Criminal and Administrative Chambers.
Understand Human Rights practice and institutional cooperation
During the time at RWI headquarters, the programme included opening remarks from Rolf Ring, RWI former Deputy Executive Director, who shared an overview of the Institute’s missions and ongoing work supporting the implementation of human rights and humanitarian law at the international and regional levels. The delegation learned more about RWI’s longstanding work in Armenia and the different partnerships with government, institutions, academia, and civil society in the country.
The session continued with an expert roundtable on “Human Rights Practice in Policing Assemblies and Institutional Cooperation”, giving the space to three high-level speakers:
- Mr. Rolf Landgren, Chief Superintendent, Swedish National Police
- Ms. Amelie Sällförs, Senior Advisor, Swedish Institute for Human Rights
- Mr Karol Nowak, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Lund University
This discussion was the opportunity to reflect on key challenges and topics like human rights-based policing of assemblies and public events, operational challenges and accountability in law enforcement, national human rights protection systems in practice, and cross-sector cooperation for sustainable human rights implementation.
Reinforcing RWI’s commitment to Human Rights in Armenia
RWI works closely with Armenian partners to strengthen access to justice and human rights within public institutions. In cooperation with the Academy of Justice, we have co-created training for judges and prosecutors on discrimination and fair trial standards. RWI also partners with the Ministry of Justice to support human rights improvements in Armenia’s penitentiary system, including the development of training methodologies for staff and initiatives addressing counter-trafficking in detention settings.
Through its work in Armenia, RWI continues to support national authorities, in close cooperation with partners and stakeholders, including the Council of Europe, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Sida. This common engagement reflects our shared commitment to advancing human rights-based institutional reforms and strengthening alignment with international legal standards.
Learn more about our Programme in Armenia: https://rwi.lu.se/armenia-programme/