Mr. Harutyunyan has extensive experience in the development of human rights laws in Armenia and intensive training in European universities on the subject.
While in Michigan, Mr. Harutyunyan will be hosted by the International Center of the University of Michigan. The program for his first day in Ann Arbor has been set by the Armenian Studies Program of the University.
On April 9 Mr. Harutyunyan will first meet the Armenian Studies faculty, followed by a luncheon meeting with faculty from the Center for International and Comparative Studies, which has a strong program in human rights; the Center for Russian and East European Studies; the Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies; the Center for European Studies; the Ford School of Public Policy, and the Michigan Law School.
While he has been critical of the human rights record of the government of Armenia since he took office, Mr. Harutyunyan has also been criticized by some in the press and in opposition for ignoring two major issues facing Armenia: the killings of peaceful demonstrators in Yerevan on March 1, 2008; and the case of a large of political prisoners.
Mr. Harutyunyan will deliver a public lecture at 3 PM (Eastern US time) in the Koessler Room of the Michigan League on human rights issues in Armenia and the South Caucasus. The lecture will be webcast live and the internet audience will be able to follow the presentation and the discussion live by logging in at
http://umtv-live.rs.itd.umich.edu/asp/asp040909.asx;
The audience will also be able to email questions during the lecture and discussion to armenianstudies@umich.edu.
"This is a rare opportunity," stated Prof. Gerard Libaridian, Director of the Armenian Studies Program at the University of Michigan, "to hear directly from the Human Rights Defender of Armenia regarding the human rights situation in Armenia and develop a constructive dialog with him worldwide."
