By the initiative of the RA Investigative Committee, the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs and with support of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, on July 19-20 a training-discussion titled «Improving Law Enforcement Bodies-Media Cooperation» was held in Tsaghkadzor, with participation of about two dozen journalists from various Armenian media.

It was aimed at the improvement of working relations of media and journalists within the framework of public strategic communication, discussion of practical issues arising in the course of communication, reforms implemented in both institutions, awareness of addressing of functions between the criminal prosecution bodies in the context of new criminal justice procedures.

Arsen Ayvazyan, Deputy Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee and Arpine Sargsyan, Deputy Minister of the RA Internal Affairs made an opening and welcoming speech. They underlined the significance of the event in terms of discussion of existing problems on the way to strengthening the systemic basis of law enforcement-media relations, providing feedback and thanked the U.S. INL Office for providing the important event with support in this format.

Gor Abrahamyan, Press Secretary of the Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee and Narek Sargsyan, Press Secretary of the Minister of the RA Internal Affairs, Head of the Department of Public Communication and Awareness of the Ministry of Internal Affairs presented the public strategic communication principles, internal regulations implemented by their institutions, activity directions implemented in this field, priorities and problems.

The reforms implemented in the RA Investigative Committee and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, features of crisis communication, issues related to freedom of expression in the context of democratic values were discussed. Actual issues on information security in criminal legal field, cyber awareness and media literacy, as well as current issues in the use of fact-checking tools were also referred to with participation of media experts.

Arsen Ayvazyan, Deputy Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee presented in details the goals and targets of the reforms implemented in the RA Investigative Committee in recent years, as well as the already recorded positive results. Arsen Ayvazyan also touched thoroughly upon the functions of the RA Investigative Committee within the framework of new criminal justice procedures, related to initiation of criminal proceedings, pressing charges, application of pretrial measures, as well as distribution of functions of the law enforcement bodies within the framework of criminal proceedings, the specifics and limitations of public information provided in connection with them.

Maritsa Hovhannisyan, representative of the U.S. INL Office presented the overall scope of the programs aimed at capacity building of the RA Investigative Committee and the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs with the U.S. support.

During the seminar-discussion, an interesting and useful dialogue took place. Meetings in this format were evaluated as useful by the participants, with the expectation of making them continuous.