Freedom of association
Law “On Volunteer Work” passed
As CIVICUS Monitor previously reported, the Armenian parliament debated a law regulating volunteer work in May, and subsequently passed it in June. Under the new legal framework, all volunteers will work under contract, and their experience will be recognised as professional experience in the relevant field. Volunteering is increasingly common in the region, especially during political crises such as the Euromaidan in Ukraine in 2013 and in humanitarian emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic or regional conflicts such as Nagorno-Karabakh.
After the law "On Volunteer Work" was submitted to parliament for consideration, it was passed by the National Assembly on 14th June 2023. The President quickly signed it and the law came into force in October 2023. In addition to the public debate in the country, the initiators of the law also benefited from the international expertise of the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Centre (TIAC) and the European Centre for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting (ECNL). As a result, the final law differs significantly from the government's original proposal. The new legal framework is considered to be very progressive, as it regulates the content of future volunteer contracts and outlines the rights and obligations of volunteers, including health and safety guarantees and health insurance.
Freedom of peaceful assembly
Thousands in Yerevan call on Prime Minister to resign
In September, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Yerevan, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan over his handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis.
According to reports, more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians were forced to flee their homes after a 24-hour military offensive on 19th and 20th September, during which Azerbaijani forces regained control of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. This enclave, inhabited by ethnic Armenians but internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, had been de facto self-governing since the end of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994. The Armenian government and others have described the mass exodus as ethnic cleansing.
At a demonstration on 20th September, immediately after the offensive, there were clashes between protesters and police, who reportedly used stun grenades against the crowd, according to the Moscow Times. Dozens of people were reportedly injured in the clashes, several of whom required medical treatment.
Freedom of expression
Broadcasting regulator takes six channels off the air for unpaid fees
Armenia's national broadcasting regulator, the Television and Radio Broadcasting Network, has taken six television stations off the air for failing to pay their broadcast fees, including several channels with links to the government or public officials. As OC-Media reports, a coalition of more than 20 Armenian TV stations has condemned the authorities' decision in a public statement, arguing that the advertising market has been severely affected by both the pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
As a result, media organisations are struggling financially and need better access to resources. The coalition also suggested that the decision could be politically motivated, as it coincides with the local elections in September 2023. They accused the authorities of wanting to restrict citizens' access to information during the election campaign. The coalition demanded the cancellation of the decision and the creation of conditions that allow the press to work under normal circumstances.
Female journalists targeted after Prime Minister’s press conference
Journalists Ani Gevorgyan and Hripsime Jebejyan faced a coordinated online harassment campaign after asking questions to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at a press conference on 25th July 2023. The attacks, believed to have been led by pro-government activists, included threats of violence and insults directed not only at the journalists but also at their families. The Union of Journalists of Armenia and the Coalition for Women in Journalism strongly condemned these targeted attacks and pointed out that similar smear campaigns against women journalists are becoming increasingly common in 2023.
The online harassment was characterised by the spread of misinformation and extreme threats, which also involved social media profiles linked to government representatives. The Coalition for Women In Journalism has called on the Armenian government to end the harassment of journalists and respect press freedom, emphasising the far-reaching impact of such smear campaigns on the reputation, credibility and well-being of journalists.
Professional associations condemn online harassment of journalists
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Union of Armenian Journalists (UAJ) have condemned the online harassment of Armenian journalists. According to them, there is an online campaign organised by supporters of the government to suppress media freedom and freedom of expression. They attribute this climate of intimidation to the tensions in the country in connection with the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, which intensified after Nikol Pashinyan's speech on 25th July.
In its press release, the EFJ expressed its solidarity with its Armenian colleagues and reported that journalists had received death threats, specifically naming journalists Ani Gevorgyan and Hripsime Jebejyan. The EFJ strongly criticised the government's failure to ensure safe working conditions for journalists, who are increasingly facing online harassment and intimidation. It called on the authorities to take immediate action to protect media workers.