Armenia 1995 Constitution (reviewed 2015)

CHAPTER 10. THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER

Article 191. Functions and Powers of the Human Rights Defender

1. The Human Rights Defender shall be an independent official, who shall follow the respect for human rights and freedoms by state and local self-government bodies and officials, as well as by organizations in cases stipulated by the Law on the Human Rights Defender, and shall facilitate the restoration of violated rights and freedoms and the improvement of the normative legal acts related to human rights and freedoms.
2. The Human Rights Defender shall present to the National Assembly an annual communication on his activities and on the situation of protection of human rights and freedoms. The communication may contain recommendations on legislative or other measures.
3. State and local self-government bodies and officials shall be obliged to provide the necessary documents, information, and clarifications to and support the work of the Human Rights Defender in the manner stipulated by law.
4. Other powers of the Human Rights Defender shall be stipulated by the Law on the Human Rights Defender.

Article 192. Election of the Human Rights Defender

1. The National Assembly shall, upon nomination by its competent standing committee, elect the Human Rights Defender for a six-year term by at least a three-fifths majority vote of the total number of parliamentarians.
2. Anyone who is held in high esteem among the public, has higher education, and meets the requirements stipulated for a parliamentarian may be elected as the Human Rights Defender.

Article 193. Safeguards of the Activities of the Human Rights Defender

1. The immunity right stipulated for parliamentarians shall apply to the Human Rights Defender. The National Assembly shall solve the question of consenting to the initiation of criminal prosecution against the Human Rights Defender or to depriving him of liberty by at least a three-fifths majority vote of the total number of parliamentarians.
2. The incompatibility requirements stipulated for parliamentarians shall apply to the Human Rights Defender.
3. The Human Rights Defender may not be a member of any party or otherwise engage in political activities during his term in office. In public speeches, he shall exercise political restraint.
4. The state shall ensure proper financing of the activities of the Human Rights Defender.
5. The powers of the Human Rights Defender shall terminate when his term in office lapses, when he loses citizenship of the Republic of Armenia or acquires citizenship of another state, when a convicting judgment against him enters into legal force, when a final judgment declares him as legally incapable, missing, or dead, or when he dies or resigns.
6. Other safeguards of the activities of the Human Rights Defender shall be stipulated by the Law on the Human Rights Defender.