Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

A great number of matters are related to the rights of conscripts and servicemen, as well as property, social and labor rights.

During 16 April 2020 - 5 June 2020, in the state of emergency conditions, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor provided 190 legal consultations. In the frame of the mentioned consultations, the Organization also prepared 107 letters or other legal documents and sent them to the relevant bodies.

Just as during the previous period of the state of emergency, in this stage, a large number of consultations were related to the rights of conscripts and servicemen, as well as matters concerning property and social rights, labor rights and appealing administrative acts.

It should be mentioned that during the previous period (16 March - 15 April), there was a greater number of applications concerning labor rights. This was attributed to the concerns of employees when the state of emergency was declared. They wanted to know about the legality of employers’ actions in the new situation and also asked questions related to the prevention of risks leading to possible violations of their rights, as well as their protection.   

During this period, there was also a significant number of consultations provided to conscripts and servicemen, as this period coincided with the commencement of the call-up.

According to the rights and the spheres, the numerical picture of legal consultations is as follows.

23 legal consultations on the right to property mainly concerned the acquisition, alienation, transfer, protection and inheritance of property, as well as the matter of getting housing.

27 legal consultations were provided on matters concerning social rights, 16 of them were related to anti-crisis measures of the Government. 

It should be mentioned that during the previous period, there was also a great number of questions concerning anti-crisis measures. We summed them up in Frequently Asked Questions section of HCA Vanadzor webpage. 

42 legal consultations were provided on matters concerning the rights of servicemen and conscripts. 

15 legal consultations were provided to citizens with questions in regard to appealing administrative acts. 

12 legal consultations were provided on labor rights. In 4 cases, the questions posed concerned the grounds for terminating employment contracts; in 4 cases, the questions were related to non-payment of the salary; in 2 cases, the questions concerned the provision of holidays; 1 consultation was provided on the changes caused by the shift to remote work; 1 consultation concerned the probation period.

10 legal consultations were given on the procedure of applying to state structures and courts for the protection of rights, 10 consultations concerned the divorce procedure.   

9 legal consultations concerned the fulfillment of credit obligations in different situations, 8 legal consultations were provided in regard to legal remedies, the rights and obligations of persons involved in a criminal case, 6 legal consultations concerned the enforcement of implementation of judicial acts. 4 legal consultations were provided regarding the relations with insurance companies, 4 legal consultations were provided on the right to health and 4 legal consultations were provided on the right to move freely, 3 legal consultations were provided on matters concerning citizenship and residency, 3 legal consultations were provided on the protection from domestic violence, 3 legal consultations were provided on receiving deposits from the USSR Savings Bank, 3 legal consultations were provided on the right to a fair trial, 2 legal consultations were provided regarding the activity of companies providing public services, 1 legal consultation was provided on the right to education and 1 legal consultation was provided on the right to be free from torture. 

107 legal documents were made in order to protect the rights of citizens. 34 of them were information inquiries, 8 were administrative complaints (against administrative acts made for not having a movement sheet), 3 were crime reports (on cases of the violation of the right to be free from torture), 5 were complaints to a superior body, 37 were letters (applications), 5 were petitions, 6 were claims, 6 were complaints to the Criminal Court of Appeal, 1 was a response to an appeal, 2 were cassation appeals. 

During the mentioned period, HCA Vanadzor presented 4 complaints to the European Court of Human Rights  in regard to violation of the right to life, the right to be free from ill-treatment and the right to be free from discrimination. Besides, HCA Vanadzor also presented certain documents in the frame of the communication of one case.