Democracy Watch

22.04.2024   Introduction   Welcome to DEMOCRACY WATCH, brought to you by CivilNet and the Regional Center for Democracy and Security. Weekly recaps will highlight and examine the pivotal challenges facing Armenia's democratic institutions.    Political Repression On April 15, opposition activist Samvel Vardanyan confronted ruling party deputy Hakob Aslanyan on a bus and began […]

29.03.2024   The past week saw a surge in the use of divisive and polarizing language by key political figures in Armenia. The government’s decision earlier this month to initiate the delimitation process with Azerbaijan has sparked a significant public backlash, as many see the government’s current approach as unilateral and devoid of consensus. Here […]

01․07․2024   By Tigran Grigoryan and Karena Avedissian   Police violently suppressed a Tavush for the Homeland protest with stun grenades and beatings last week, injuring dozens of demonstrators and journalists.   While some protestors displayed violent behavior, the majority did not, making the police’s response excessive and disproportionate.   Both Amnesty International, and over a […]

01.07.2024   By Tigran Grigoryan and Karena Avedissian   The Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) is set to be dissolved, with its management transitioning to the State Property Management Committee.   ANIF is a governmental organization established in 2019, with a mandate “to consolidate and effectively manage the ownership of Armenian state-owned enterprises, to promote export growth and […]

01․07․2024   By Tigran Grigoryan and Karena Avedissian   Ruling party links protesters to Russia on social media accounts   Leaders of the protest movement opposing the transfer of four Tavush villages to Azerbaijan are demanding the resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. And in recent days, they have become targets of a coordinated […]

01.07.2024   Violent Dispersion of Protesters in Kirants   Police have violently dispersed demonstrators protesting the handover of four villages to Azerbaijan. The detainment of three dozen protesters who were blocking the road in Kirants, Tavush region violates Armenian citizens’ right to peaceful assembly.   Armenian human rights defender Artur Sakunts notes that “when peaceful demonstrators are […]