Ex-ombudsperson accuses Armenian government of inaction on missing persons

Former ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdyan has accused the Armenian government of failing to meet its obligations regarding missing persons.

Alaverdyan, Armenia’s first human rights defender and head of the Against Legal Arbitrariness NGO, said she has “serious grounds to suspect” that the authorities are not only neglecting the issue but are also hindering the efforts of families searching for their loved ones.

She made the remarks at Thursday’s protest outside the government building, where relatives of missing soldiers had gathered to demand answers.

As an example of what she described as official inaction, Alaverdyan pointed to the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances, saying she was certain that Armenia had not applied to the committee. “There are such examples,” she said, without providing further details.

Alaverdyan also noted that the exact number of missing soldiers remains unknown, describing it as a direct result of the authorities’ inaction.