Statement by the Delegation of Armenia at the General Debate of the 35th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

01 June, 2026

Delegation of the Republic of Armenia

35th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

Vienna, 01-05 June 2026

Statement under Agenda Item 3 (General Debate)

Distinguished Chair,
Excellencies, Delegates,

At the outset, I would like to extend my appreciation to the Chair, the Bureau and the Secretariat of the Governing Bodies for the critical work in preparing this session. I would also like to warmly welcome Dr. Monika Juma, the new Executive Director of UNODC.

Armenia underscores the critical role of the Commission in advancing crime prevention and criminal justice policies, particularly at a time when increasingly complex and interconnected criminal threats undermine peace, security, and sustainable development. Armenia’s re-election to the CCPCJ for a third term reflects our strong commitment to this work, and I thank all partners for their trust and support.

Mr. Chair,

We believe that crime prevention and criminal justice must remain people-centered, evidence-based, and grounded in respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Over the past years, comprehensive measures have been introduced by the Government of Armenia aimed at enhancing access to justice, strengthening the independence, integrity, and effectiveness of criminal justice institutions, improving responses to organized crime and corruption, expanding digital and cybercrime capacities and improving the effectiveness and accountability of law enforcement institutions.

Among the major milestones in this process was bringing together the Police, the Rescue Service, and the Migration and Citizenship Service under a unified institutional framework of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a reform that introduced stronger parliamentary and civilian oversight mechanisms, while enabling operational bodies to focus more effectively on their professional mandates. The new governance model of the Armenian Police built around four core pillars: Patrol Service, Criminal Police, Community Police, and the Police Guard, has significantly enhanced the quality and responsiveness of policing services.

My country has also intensified efforts against cybercrime, through the establishment of specialized Cybercrime Police. In parallel, the Criminal Police expanded operations against drug trafficking networks, focusing particularly on dismantling supply chains and online distribution channels and registering a significant increase in seizures compared to previous years.

Armenia has developed independent Anti-Corruption Framework and comprehensive integrity checks and screening procedures. The introduction of modern digital tools and e-court solutions led to a significant decrease in case backlogs, drastically improving access to justice. My country is actively overhauling its penal and prison system, shifting from a historically punitive penal system toward rehabilitation.

Distinguished Delegates,

Armenia emphasizes the critical role of international cooperation for ensuring effective crime prevention and criminal justice and highly appreciates the valuable support of its partner and international organizations, in particular the UNODC.

Most recent examples of fruitful cooperation with UNODC have produced the new Strategy on Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and its Action Plan and the programme on Strengthening the Administration of Prisons and Probation, and I use this opportunity to invite interested Member States to support the implementation of this programme.

Through the European Union major project “Support to the justice reform in Armenia”, we aim to further ambitious reforms, including the development of a comprehensive crime prevention strategy, which will ensure that citizens of Armenia enjoy their rights in line with the highest international standards.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that Armenia remains committed to constructive engagement within this Commission and to working with all Member States toward building a safer, more just and resilient future.

Thank you.

MFA RA
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