Organization
“The Protection of Rights without Borders” non-governmental organization (Organization) was established in 2009.
It’s a non-profitable organization, which aims at the protection of the human rights, strengthening the rule of law and good governance principals in Armenia.
The Organization is particularly specialized in the reform implementation projects of rule of law, judiciary, as well as security sector.
The Organization is in the capacity of conducting human rights trainings, documentation of human rights violations, conducting of sectoral evaluations, research, as well as practices human rights protection.
Information regarding the history of the Organisation is available with the below mentioned link.
History of the Protection of Rights without Borders NGO
Council
History of the Protection of Rights without Borders NGO
“The Protection of Rights without Borders” non-governmental organization (Organization) was established in 2009.
It’s a non-profitable organization, which aims at the protection of the human rights, strengthening the rule of law and good governance principals in Armenia.
The Organization is particularly specialized in the reform implementation projects of rule of law, judiciary, as well as security sector.
The Organization is in the capacity of conducting human rights trainings, documentation of human rights violations, conducting of sectoral evaluations, research, as well as practices human rights protection.
The Organization is actively involved in the policy elaboration processes on human rights, judiciary, good governance and security sector. The Organization also provides alternative opinions and remarks on the human rights related draft laws.
The alternative reports, opinions and evaluations presented by the Protection of Rights without Borders NGO are adopted by a number of international organizations (Council of Europe, Venice Commission, and U.S. State Department) and are used by the latter as a reliable source of information. The Organization has successfully implemented long-term and coordinated judicial thematic monitorings, such as administrative justice, military crimes etc., as well as evaluation of courts functioning. The Organization has conducted thematic researched on mental health, probation system in Armenia, problems on penitentiary system, protection of children’s rights, characteristics of the early conditional release before serving the sentence and on other sectoral issues.
The Organization has conducted projects directed at the human rights education for the officer and commanders’ staff of the armed forces, military police representatives, judges, prosecutors and lawyers.
During the period of 2013 and 2016, the Organization has provided free legal consultation on human rights violations. Within the three years, the Organization has received approximately 792 applications from the citizens, based on which, taking into consideration the nature of the presented problems, criminal, civil and administrative applications, complaints (including also reports on the crime) were submitted to the court of appeals and court of cassation.
Since 2013 the organization is providing free legal consultation on cases of human rights violations.
During the past 3 years the NGO had almost 800 such cases based on which judicial representation has been also implemented. Some of those cases are still ongoing.
Since 2009 PRWB has prepared and presented 70 applications to the European Court of Human Rights. Those cases and alleged violations raised in them derive from the following events;
- 7 complaints in relation to citizens who have suffered from police violent acts during the Electric Yerevan events and demonstrations against the raise of electricity tariff on 23 June 2015. 5 from 7 Applications have been already registered by the Court.
- 32 complaints on behalf of the citizens who have suffered from police violent acts during the events of 17 July 2016/. 28 Applications from 32 have been registered by the Court.
- 19 complaints on behalf of the citizens who have suffered from police actions during the events of 16-23 April 2018 in Armenia for democracy establishment.
“The Protection of Rights without Borders” non-governmental organization is member of a number of national and international organizations and networks, particularly:
- Child Protection Network
- Open Government Partnership Armenia
- Open Society Partnership
- Public Group adjunct to the RA Ministry of Justice (until 2016)
- Prison Monitoring Group Conducting Monitoring in Penitentiary Institutions
- Armenian National Platform of Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum
- Civic Solidarity Platform
Implemented project list Protection of Rights without Borders NGO
You can find informaiton on programs conducted by the Organization between 2009 to 2017 from the attached file.
Our team
Araks Melkonyan
President
Araks Melkonyan graduated Yerevan State University, Faculty of Law, receiving Masters Degree in Law in 2010
In 2014 Araks Melkonyan graduted Essex University (United Kingdom) in LLM International Human Rights Law and in 2015 she graduated Turin University (Italy) with the profession of criminal justice.
Araks Melkonyan joined the NGO team in 2010 as a human right expert. She regulated the human rights monitoring projects and the management of the strategic trails both in domestic courts and at the European Court of Human Rights respectively, has conducted research on human rights protection situation in the Republic of Armenia.
During her professional work experience, Araks Melkonyan has cooperated with national and international human rights protection organization within the scope of a number of human rights related projects, including coordination of criminal trial monitoring projects, penal policy reform, human rights in armed forces, human rights and drug policy and others.
Araks Melkonyan has been a member of the RA Chamber of Advocated since 2012.
Արաքս Մելքոնյանը «Իրավունքների պաշտպանություն առանց սահմանների» ՀԿ թիմին միացել է 2010 թվականից՝ որպես մարդու իրավունքների փորձագետ: Կազմակերպությունում համակարգել է մարդու իրավունքների մոնիթորինգի ծրագրերը և ռազմավարական դատավարությունների վարումը ինչպես ներպետական դատարաններում, այնպես էլ Մարդու իրավունքների եվրոպական դատարանում, իրականացրել է հետազոտություններ Հայաստանի Հանրապետությունում մարդու իրավունքների պաշտպանության վիճակի վերաբերյալ:
Իր գործունեության ընթացքում Արաքսը համագործակցել է ազգային և միջազգային իրավապաշտպան կազմակերպությունների հետ մարդու իրավունքներին առնչվող մի շարք ծրագրերում, այդ թվում՝ քրեական արդարադատության, զինված ուժերում մարդու իրավունքների, խոշտանգումների դեմ պայքարի, մարդու իրավունքների և թմրամիջոցների քաղաքականության վերաբերյալ և այլ ծրագրերում:
Արաքս Մելքոնյանը 2012թ.-ից ՀՀ փաստաբանների պալատի անդամ է:
Արաքս Մելքոնյանը 2019թ.-ից զբաղեցնում է «Իրավունքների պաշտպանություն առանց սահմանների» ՀԿ նախագահի պաշտոնը:
Hasmik Harutyunyan
Լegal expert
Hasmik Harutyunyan started her career at the “Protection of Rights without Borders” NGO in the position of legal expert in March, 2012.
Since January of 2013, she has been involved in the Public Oversight Group Conducting Monitoring in the Penitentiary Institutions of Armenia as a member.
Hasmik Harutyunyan graduated from the French University in Armenia, Faculty of Law in 2011. Within the months of March-June, 2011 she studied at the Regional Studies Center of Armenia.
In 2013 she graduated from the Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in “Human Rights and Democratization” conducted by the YSU Center for European Studies. Within the program, she studied Law at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv during the months of September and December of 2012.
Since 2016, she is a post-graduate student of Public Law at the Public Administration Academy of Armenia.
Since 2015, she is teaching at the School of Advocates of the Republic of Armenia.
Anna Melikyan
Project manager
Anna Melikyan holds Law Degree from the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, and LL.M. from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
Anna joined the NGO “Protection of Rights Without Borders” in 2020 as a Project Coordinator. Prior to that, Ms. Melikyan worked in the field of human rights for international organizations, including the OSCE Mission to Moldova, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mission to Osh.
Anna also worked for the NGO “Civil Society Institute” as Director and Human Rights Officer. Since 2005, Ms. Melikyan has been teaching at the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University.
Nina Hakobyan
Lawyer
Nina Hakobyan graduated from the Yerevan State University, Faculty of Law in 2018.
During 2017-2018 she was a member of the Legal Clinic of Yerevan State University. She was an intern in the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction, “ELL PARTNERSHIP” Legal Firm.Nina Hakobyan has joined Protection of Rights without Borders NGO since July 2018. Her functions in the NGO include data collection of international human rights protectionstandards, conducting research on domestic and international criteria of judiciary, provision of legal support to the participants of peaceful assemblies taking place in the Republic of Armenia, conducting of administrative monitoring programs.
During her professional working experience, Nina has participated in a number of trainings and events on public policy, European mechanisms on fundamental human rights and their protection. Since May of 2019, she is a member of the Public Council adjunct to the RA Ministry of Justice, since October of 2019 a member of the Public Platform on RA Government Public Administration Reforms respectively.
She is a member of the RA Chamber of Advocates.
At the NGO, Nina Hakobyan provides legal consultancy to the citizens, if necessary conducting representativeness in judicial and other bodies.
ANAHIT MKRTCHYAN
Lawyer
Anahit Mkrtchyan graduated from Gyumri “Progress” University, Faculty of Law in 2013. During 2014-2016, she taught at the Legal Clinic of Gyumri “Progress” University.
During 2015-2017 she worked at the “Women’s Right Center” NGO as a lawyer. Since June 1 of 2017, she has been working at the “New Generation” NGO as a lawyer.
Since March 9 of 2017, she has been included in the Group of Public Monitors Implementing Supervision over the Criminal-Executive Institutions and Bodies of the Ministry of Justice of RA as an expert and since 2018 as a member.
She has been a member of the Chamber of Advocates since December 8 of 2018. Anahit Mkrtchyan has participated in a number of local and international trainings, conferences on human rights discrimination, family violation, refugees, healthcare rights and on other topics.
Anahit Mkrtchyan has been cooperating with the Protection of Rights without Borders NGO as a lawyer since April of 2020
LUSINE LALAYAN
Administrative Assistant
Lusine Lalayan graduated from Vanadzor State University after Hovhannes Tumanyan, Faculty of History.
From 2007-2012, Lusine Lalayan worked at Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor Office, where she held the position of the project assistant and later the position of public relations specialist.
As a monitor, L. Lalayan participated in the monitoring directed towards the improvement of human rights protection conducted in RA closed and semi closed institutions. She has participated in different human rights protection trainings.
From September of 2015, Lusine Lalayan joined the staff of the “Protection of Rights without Borders NGO” holding the position of the Administrative Assistant.
SHAHEN SHAHINYAN
Chief Accountant
Shahen Shahinyan holds a bachelor’s degree from the State Engineering University of Yerevan, Department of Technical Cybernetic, Cybernetic-Engineer. Shahen Shahinyan’s career in finance administration started on March 01, 2000 with a USA-based Catholic Relief Services (CRS) branch office in Armenia. Shahen started professional trainings in Financial resource management in Baltimore, USA and Ohride, Macedonia and since then continues participation in dozens of trainings on the local Armenian Tax Legislation, Amendments and Financial Management and Reporting.
Working in the position of a Chief Accountant with Catholic Relief Services Armenian Branch and Transparency International anti-corruption center public organization, Shahen has worked with internal and external audit teams on annual basis getting positive feedback on the Annual Audit Reports due to his professional knowledge on legislation and financial management in “Armenian Accounting Systems” and “Sun System” SQL type database. Shahen has been registered at the Tax Inspection as a Chief Accountant since October 2003 with full responsibility complying with the local law requirements.
Being well-aware of USA financial policies and procedures, as well as legislation and taxation laws and requirements of the Republic of Armenia, he applied skills and expertise and to the programs and business activities keeping all the internal and external reporting deadlines.
Shahen has experience in direct financial assistance to implementation and completion USAID-funded multi-year projects, direct financial assistance to implementing and closure of projects funded by the EU, CORDAID, DFID, OSF, NED, World Bank, Jinishian Memorial Foundation, Dadourian Family Foundation and other donors.
Shahen’s experience includes also set-up and closure of sub-offices and registered companies after end of operations in Armenia ensuring that all financial activities follow the organization’s and donors’ policies and procedures, and the local law requirements. From September of 2017, Shahen Shahinyan joined the staff of the “Protection of Rights without Borders NGO” holding the position of Chief Accountant.
