YEREVAN. – All measures to abolish the death penalty should be seen as a progress in the implementation of human rights. Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia Kristine Grigoryan stated this at Thursday’s meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, during the discussion on the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which aims at the abolition of capital punishment.

According to the deputy minister, Armenia’s ratification of this protocol will strengthen the country’s cooperation with the international organizations that are engaged in human rights protection under the auspices of the UN and the UN Council.

Moreover, as per Grigoryan, the ratification of this protocol is an outcome of Armenia’s commitments to the UN within the framework of the general periodic monitoring.

After discussing this issue, the aforesaid parliamentary committee reached the conclusion that Armenia should ratify this protocol.