A/HRC/15/9 thus making them more compliant with the requirements of international human rights covenants. 8. Efforts aimed at recognition of the Armenian genocide by the international community, not only to establish the supremacy of international law and justice, but also to prevent the recurrence of such crimes in the future by ruling out impunity, had been pursued by Armenia. In that regard, it had been active in the United Nations, initiating resolutions on the prevention of the crime of genocide. Most recently, in March 2008, the Human Rights Council had unanimously adopted the resolution entitled “Prevention of Genocide,” submitted by Armenia and co-sponsored by 62 countries. 9. Armenia regards the right of peoples to self-determination as a fundamental and indispensable human right and takes consistent steps towards its realization. Armenia is guided by the fact that the principle of the right of peoples to self-determination is currently a binding and universally recognized fundamental norm of international and national law for all States, without exception. Armenia is firmly committed to the exercise of the right of the people of Nagorny Karabakh to self-determination and assists, also as a result of its international obligations, in promoting all the fundamental rights of the people of Nagorny Karabakh in every possible way. The policy of economic blockade against Armenia and Nagorny Karabakh is a serious impediment to the full exercise of the right to development and many other rights, including, first and foremost, political, civil and socio-economic rights. 10. The Constitution provides for the right to life and also sets out the right to nonconviction to or no exercise of the death penalty. In 2003, Armenia ratified Protocol No. 6, on the Elimination of the Death Penalty, to the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and has signed Protocol No. 13. The death penalty has been removed from the new Criminal Code. Since its independence, Armenia has not carried out the death penalty. 11. Extensive legislative and institutional efforts have been made to eliminate torture and other cruel and degrading treatment or punishment. Armenia has ratified all United Nations and Council of Europe treaties related to the issue. The implemented legislative reforms have created substantial preconditions for the establishment of a system for independent monitoring of the places of custody. Despite the provisions set forth through legislative reforms, there are still issues requiring attention and additional improvement at the implementation level. 12. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is enshrined in the Constitution. The law on “freedom of conscience and religious organizations” is the main law regulating the activities of religious organizations. The law on “alternative service” was adopted in 2003. During the years following its independence, Armenia took serious steps to ensure religious diversity in the country, and in 2009 there were 66 registered religious organizations. 13. The Constitution guarantees everyone’s right to freedom of expression. Freedom of the mass media and other means of mass information is also guaranteed. The Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of peaceful and unarmed assembly. Specific procedures for the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly are established in the law on “meetings, assemblies, rallies and demonstrations” (2004). 14. Ensuring increased access to and affordability of health-care services and continuous improvement in the quality of health-care services remain priorities of State policy. The right to education is fully guaranteed in Armenia for everyone, irrespective of ethnicity, race, sex, language, religion and political or other views. Basic general education is compulsory, and secondary education at State educational institutions is free of charge. There is an opportunity for free education at technical and vocational secondary educational institutions, as well as at higher levels. 4