The government has recalled from the National Assembly the draft law abolishing the constitutional guarantees of the independence of the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman). Opposition Bright Armenia Party MP Ani Samsonyan wrote about this on Facebook.

"There must definitely have been pressure from outside, too, that they [the authorities] would realize [that] the only established institution of the state cannot be destroyed," she added.

Earlier, Armenian News-NEWS.am reported that the government had approved a bill that would allow reducing the annual budget of the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia.

Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan, in turn, had stated that he considers the bill discriminatory, and is aimed only at restricting the activities of the Human Rights Defender.