Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

On August 4 and 5, 2022, Hrant Dink Foundation organised a Dialogue Programme for legal experts bringing together 4 lawyers from Turkey (1 online and 3 in person) and 29 legal experts, human right activists, state, NGO and international organisation representatives from Armenia. The aim of the programme was to exchange expertise and discuss means of establishing institutional cooperation in the field of law between the two countries. During the two-day programme in Yerevan, legal experts from Turkey and Armenia discussed the differences and similarities in their countries’ perceptions and implementation of human rights, put forward the practical challenges they face and explored means of cooperation and communication.

The first day kicked off with a panel discussion entitled “Drawing parallels: Human rights issues in Armenia and Turkey'' with 3 speakers from Turkey and 2 speakers from Armenia, followed by a Q&A session. On the second day of the programme, there was a roundtable discussion with the main focus on migration and asylum related issues in both countries. Given the lack of diplomatic relations and taking into consideration recent developments in Armenia-Turkey relations, both sides indicated the importance of communication and establishment of support channels between lawyers and legal experts of the two countries.

The meetings set the ground for future collaboration between legal experts in both countries and the programme provided the visitors from Turkey the opportunity to experience and better understand Armenia and its people. It is intended that further similar meetings will be conducted on this theme to establish a communication and support network.

The Dialogue Programme was organised within the framework of the programme “Support to the Armenia-Turkey Normalisation Process: Stage 3" funded by the European Union.

hrantdink.org