Freedom of association
Training Programmes Empower Armenian NGOs
Between March and May 2024, a series of training sessions for Armenian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were successfully conducted as part of the "Strengthening Civil Society in Eastern Partnership Countries" programme. Supported by GIZ, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the European Union, the programme aimed to enhance the capacity of civil society in Armenia.
From March to April, 110 civil society representatives participated in the sessions, with a further 20 NGOs joining in May. These training programmes covered a broad range of topics, including strategic planning, programme design, modern digital tools, enhancing visibility, and forming commercial partnerships. The diverse curriculum has already had a notable impact on participating organisations, fostering a stronger, more informed civil society in Armenia.
Freedom of peaceful assembly
Mass Protests Over Armenian-Azerbaijani Border Agreement
In April 2024, Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities announced the conclusion of negotiations on the delimitation of their border, following several rounds of talks. This decision came after Azerbaijan gained control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region in September 2023 through a military operation that displaced over 100,000 ethnic Armenians.
The agreement, which provides for ceding four villages in Azerbaijan that are still under Armenian control, sparked widespread protests throughout Armenia. Despite the government’s efforts to enter into dialogue with the leaders of the protests, the demonstrations continued for over a month. The protesters united around two key demands: the reversal of the territorial concessions and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation.
Opposition-led and spontaneous protests took place in Yerevan on April 24th and 25th. Opposition politicians claimed police used heavy-handed tactics against demonstrators. On April 24th, the police detained 11 protesters who had gathered outside the headquarters of the ruling Civil Contract Party. According to media reports, 96 people were arrested in Yerevan on April 25th. The protesters had blocked traffic in the city centre and, according to police, had refused to comply with their orders. Local media site News.am said police forcefully dispersed the rally.
On 26th April, protesters once again blocked traffic in Yerevan and major highways outside it. Clashes with police occurred both in Yerevan and border villages in the Tavush province that are due to be handed over to Azerbaijan as part of the border deal. Numerous detentions reportedly took place, but police did not release the total number of demonstrators detained. The next day, after another protest in which traffic was blocked, the police arrested 18 people, according to News.am.
On 9th May, protest leader Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, who heads the Tavush diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, called for civil disobedience and urged citizens to demand an end to negotiations with Azerbaijan and the resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Galstanyan led a group of protesters on foot from the village of Kirants in Tavush province to Yerevan, where over 20,000 protesters took part in the largest anti-government demonstration to date.
On 10th May, at least 48 protesters were arrested by the police. All 48 were allowed to be released on bail.
As protests continued, on 13th May, more than 170 protesters were detained by police, with some witnesses accusing law enforcement of using excessive force and unlawful detention. 156 of the protesters were released from police custody by late afternoon the same day.
Freedom of expression
Armenia's Rise in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index
Armenia made a notable leap in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, climbing from 49th to 43rd place. Among the South Caucasus countries, Armenia now holds the highest position, with Georgia ranked 103rd and Azerbaijan 158th.
Despite this improvement, the Armenian press remains polarised, with many outlets influenced by political and economic interests. The issue of media independence became particularly concerning during recent military operations, raising questions about the objectivity and integrity of Armenian journalism.
CSOs Positive about New Public Information Law
In February 2024, Armenia's Ministry of High-Technology Industry released a draft of a new law titled "On Public Information," which faced strong criticism from civil society organisations (CSOs), which claimed that it proposes extensive regulations on access to information and public data management, and represents a step back in terms of the right to access information. One of the main criticisms was that, due to the narrowed definitions of “information” and “public information,” the draft generally restricts the right of access to information more than the current law. Another problem was that the supervision of the implementation of the law was entrusted to the government agency primarily responsible for digitalisation and cybersecurity, and not an independent body with guarantees of autonomy.
In response to these concerns, the ministry agreed to amend the draft. Based on consultations with CSOs, the ministry removed several of the contentious provisions, including the contested definition of “information” and authorising a state body with the task of monitoring access to information.
According to CSO Meter, many of the changes proposed by civil society were included in the revised law, and CSOs are positive about the government's willingness to engage in dialogue and expect that further revisions to the drafts will be made in line with their proposals. One of the main points of criticism remains the increase in fees for access to public information, which civil society organisations believe violates the principle of fairness. Other concerns relate to the extension of the possibilities for restricting information through allowing for the government to classify information on the basis of “public order” and the proposal to remove the list of information to be proactively published by information holders.