Helsinki Committee of Armenia NGO (HCA) was founded in 1995 and was officially registered with RA Ministry of Justice on February in 1996 and re-registered on May 21, 2008. The following human rights issues are the main areas where HCA is active;
1) Monitoring the situation with human rights in the following fields:
- Religious Minorities,
- Alternative military service,
- Elections,
- Freedom of
Speech,
- Freedom of assemblies, demonstrations, rallies,
- Tortures and abusive treatment of individuals, conditions of holding persons committed crimes in penitentiary institutions,
- Violence in general educational schools. All monitoring carried out by the HCA consists of two main components:
a) Analysis of related legislation and documents. b) On-site monitoring.
2) Raising awareness of human rights and human rights protection mechanisms:
- Publishing and distributing “Ditord/Observer” bi-monthly bulletin.
- Updating Website.
3) Pro Bono Legal Consultancy for protection of Human Rights.
4) Advocacy. Legal advocacy: Based on its findings, own investigations, and direct request of the citizens HCA provides assistance in protecting their interests in the courts. Political advocacy: Based on legislation analysis, HCA prepares package of recommendations on improvement of legislation aimed at strengthening guarantees for protection of human rights in Armenia and tries to make amendments in legislation by lobbying these recommendations through parliamentarians and the government representatives.
5) Monitoring and assessing meeting by Armenia commitments to the international organizations.
6) Capacity building of Regional Activists.
7) Creating a Network of Regional Human Rights Activists.
