A/HRC/15/60 446. Armenia approached the universal periodic review process with a genuine will to get the utmost out of this exchange among friends in order to make adjustments to their existing policies and adopt new ones, if necessary, to advance further the human rights situation in the country. Armenia was the first delegation to respond in writing to all advance questions before the review, and hoped that this would become a practice in the Council, as it allowed more informed and updated recommendations to be presented to Member States under review. 447. Regrettably, Armenia’s open and constructive approach was not entirely reciprocated. Attempts had been made at the review to politicize the discussion, diverting it to issues that went beyond the scope and mandate of the Working Group. Moreover, the unacceptable procedural violations with which the draft report was prepared raised numerous concerns with the delegation, making it imperative for the Council to continue its work to improve working methods to ensure equal treatment among all States Members of the United Nations and to clarify that political considerations should never get in the way of clearly defined rules. 448. Armenia had received 85 recommendations from 47 countries and expressed its position on 80 of them during the Working Group meeting on 10 May. A total of 52 recommendations were considered implemented or in the process of implementation, and 27 enjoyed its support as being in line with the policies in place and projected programmes. Only one recommendation had been rejected as not corresponding to the actual situation on the ground. 449. In the follow-up to the universal periodic review discussion, Armenia has again closely reviewed the remaining five recommendations. To this end, a round table was organized in July 2010 with the participation of the representatives of ministries and all international and regional organizations represented in the country. Armenia prepared written answers to the remaining five recommendations and those regarded as already implemented. Its views had been presented in detail in the document submitted to the Council in September 2010 (A/HRC/15/9/Add.1). Armenia was not able to accept in full two recommendations, and rejected another two. Armenia had accepted 81 of 85 recommendations, or 95 per cent of all recommendations. 450. Armenia had accepted recommendation 95.1. It rejected recommendation 95.3, since politically motivated prosecution is not exercised in Armenia. Moreover, any case of such allegations needs thorough consideration, and no international reliable body, including those within the Council of Europe, had registered any such cases in Armenia, despite the allegations. 451. Armenia regarded recommendation 95.4, on granting licences to radio and television broadcasters, as implemented. 452. Armenia rejected in part two of the remaining recommendations (95.2 and 95.5) that were pending the Government’s position. No separate definition of discrimination against women could be introduced to Armenian legislation, as all manifestations of discrimination were prohibited by article 14.1 of the Constitution and the criminal, labour and family codes. Current legislation was in full accordance with this requirement; the introduction of a separate clause referring to one of the sexes would violate the gender neutrality principle of Armenian legislation. With regard to the law on conducting meetings, assemblies, rallies and demonstrations, Armenia had experienced significant changes in 2008, which had allowed for a more clear and unequivocal regulation of relations. All amendments to the law had undergone international expertise to ensure that they were in conformity with international standards and those of the Council of Europe. 453. Armenia regarded 16 recommendations as already implemented and had presented a detailed account of its position in the addendum. Two other recommendations had also 150 GE.11-17043

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