11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restrictions ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23451]

"A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restrictions, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. Government officials were somewhat cooperative and responsive to their views.
During the year independent local religious and human rights organizations and local affiliates of international organizations operated in the country. They included the Armenian Helsinki Committee, the Civil Society Institute, the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, Hope and Help, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Junior Achievement, Mission Armenia, the Open Society Institute, Transparency International and many more. Government authorities generally did not deny requests to meet with domestic NGO monitors. Authorities followed some NGO recommendations, particularly those related to social welfare, education, or those involving local matters.
On May 3, two public members of the police-sponsored Public Monitoring Group, which monitors police detention facilities, were ejected from the group by police after filing a report on their observations that was critical of the authorities.
During the year private NGOs did not report experiencing reprisals for criticizing the authorities.
The government generally cooperated with international NGOs. It permitted visits by international organizations to prisons, and in the case of the ICRC, to all detention centers in the country."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

During the year the human rights defender's office received more than 1,100 written complaints from citizens ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23452]

"The current human rights defender is mandated to protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms violated by the state and local self-governing bodies or their officials. During the year the human rights defender's office received more than 1,100 written complaints from citizens. A total of 96 of these complaints were successfully resolved by the office, with 530 persons reportedly receiving redress for their grievances. Inquiries initiated by the human rights defender's office resulted in more than a dozen disciplinary sanctions against police during the year; however, the human rights defender said progress on most cases was slow. On March 30, the human rights defender's office released its 2006 annual report, which noted that the main source of citizen complaints were local courts, the Yerevan municipality, and the police. A 2005 Constitutional Court ruling prohibits the human rights defender from examining complaints against judicial organs and judges.
Following the May parliamentary elections, the newly elected parliament established a Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Issues. To date, human rights NGOs have viewed the new committee with skepticism due to its unclear mandate and the lack of any apparent concrete activity undertaken to date."

Document(s): Open document

06.2007 - Source: Freedom House

Registration requirements for nongovernmental associations are cumbersome and time-consuming ("Freedom in the World 2007") [ID 20477]

"Registration requirements for nongovernmental associations are cumbersome and time-consuming. Some 3,000 nongovernmental organizations are registered with the Ministry of Justice, although many of them are not active in a meaningful way. While the constitution provides for the right to form and join trade unions, labor organizations are weak and relatively inactive in practice."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2007 - Source: Amnesty International

Ombudsperson and other human rights activists alleged that removal from her post had been prompted by her criticism of government policies and practices ("Annual Report 2007") [ID 20386]

"Ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdian was removed from her post in January by presidential decree and her duties entrusted to an interim three-member commission. She alleged that her removal and replacement were unconstitutional because a presidential prerogative either to dismiss the Ombudsperson or to replace that post by another body was not provided for in Armenian law. She and other human rights activists alleged that her removal had been prompted by her criticism of government policies and practices. A new Ombudsperson was elected by the National Assembly in February."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2007 - Source: Amnesty International

Human rights lawyer released on bail but charges against him not dropped ("Annual Report 2007") [ID 20387]

"Lawyer Vahe Grigorian, known for his advocacy work for families resisting forced eviction for government-led redevelopment programmes in central Yerevan, was released on bail in February. He had been held since October 2005 on charges of fraud which he alleged were unfounded and politically motivated. The charges against him were not dropped and the case was still pending at the end of the year."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restrictions ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20328]

"A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restrictions, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. Government officials were somewhat cooperative and responsive to their views.
During the year more than 20 independent local religious and human rights organizations and local affiliates of international organizations operated in the country. They included the Armenian Helsinki Committee, the Civil Society Institute, the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, Hope and Help, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Junior Achievement, Mission Armenia, the Open Society Institute, and Transparency International. The government, while not soliciting contacts with these organizations, generally did not deny requests to meet with domestic NGO monitors. Authorities followed some of their recommendations, particularly those related to social welfare, education, or those involving local matters.[...]
The government was generally cooperative with international NGOs. It permitted visits by international organizations to prisons and in the case of the ICRC, to detention centers operated by the police."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

No progress in the investigation into the 2004 incident of beating of Mikael Danielyan, the director of the Helsinki Committee human rights NGO ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20331]

"There was no progress in the investigation into the 2004 incident in which unknown persons beat Mikael Danielyan, the director of the Helsinki Committee human rights NGO, after Danielyan had given a controversial interview to an Azerbaijani newspaper. Authorities suspended the investigation shortly after the incident."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Human rights ombudsman complained that government interference limited her ability to influence the government's implementation of her recommendations ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20332]

"In 2005 the country's first human rights ombudsman complained that government interference, including a ruling by the Constitutional Court, limited her ability to influence the government's implementation of her recommendations. On February 17, the National Assembly elected a successor. One of his first actions was to petition the Constitutional Court to rule find government decision to expropriate residential houses and apartments in certain parts of downtown Yerevan to be unconstitutional (see section 1.e.). Although the court did so, it did not provide any remedies for the citizens deprived of their property without adequate compensation.
From February 17, when the new ombudsman took office, through December 11, the ombudsman's office received 1,178 citizen complaints. At year's end there was no information on the disposition of these complaints."

Document(s): Open document

07.2006 - Source: Freedom House

More than 3,000 NGOs registered with the ministry of justice; impact on government policies and decisions minimal ("Countries at the Crossroads 2006") [ID 17789]

"Armenia boasts more than 3,000 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) registered with the Ministry of Justice. Although most of them hardly operate in practice, the figure suggests that the registration process is rather simple. The NGOs engage in a wide range of activities, including benevolence, human rights protection, women's and minority affairs, and consumer rights. The most successful usually have external sources of funding. The government rarely interferes with their activities, but the impact of NGOs on government policies and decisions has been minimal."

Document(s): Open document

07.2006 - Source: Freedom House

Coalition of NGOs called "Partnership for Open Society" lobbied for changes in constitution and electoral code throughout 2005 ("Countries at the Crossroads 2006") [ID 17790]

"Local civic groups rarely dealt with political affairs until the 2004 government crackdown on the opposition, which was trying to unseat Kocharian. From April through June 2004, some groups held rallies and picketed the prosecutor general's office in Yerevan in protest of mass arrests of opposition activists and Armenia's perceived transformation into a police state.4 Following the campaign, some three dozen NGOs created a coalition advocating political reform. The coalition, called Partnership for Open Society, unsuccessfully lobbied for more serious changes in the Armenian constitution and electoral code throughout 2005. The government did, however, give in to pressure from local environmental protection groups in June 2005, when it decided to reroute a planned new highway that would have passed through one of Armenia's last remaining virgin forests."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

No human rights groups or political organisations reported problems with registration ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 15775]

"The law provides for freedom of association, and the government generally respected it in practice. Registration requirements for all political parties, associations, and secular and religious organizations remainedcumbersome, exacting, and time‑consuming. The law stipulates the right to form associations, including political parties and trade unions, except for persons serving in the armed services and law enforcement agencies. As in previous years, no human rights groups or political organizations reported problems with registration."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Harassment of opposition supporters by authorities; NGO training session for opposition party closed ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 17112]

"Authorities harassed opposition supporters, including by using politically motivated arrests. On June 30, NSS officers closed an international NGO training session for members of the local branch of an opposition party in Armavir. Authorities confiscated training materials and reportedly harassed event organizers. In the week following the marred November constitutional referendum the government detained, for several hours at a time, approximately 50 opposition supporters participating in modest opposition rallies."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

International and domestic human rights groups and NGOs operated without government restrictions ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 17226]

"A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restrictions, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. Government officials were somewhat cooperative and responsive to their views.

During the year more than 20 independent, local religious and human rights organizations operated in the country, including: the Armenian Helsinki Committee, the Civil Society Institute, Helsinki Foundation, Hope and Help, International Red Cross, Junior Achievement, Mission Armenia, Open Society Institute, and Transparency International. The government, while not proactively seeking meetings, did not deny requests to meet with domestic NGO monitors.
[...]
The government was generally cooperative with international NGOs. There were no reports of government harassment of international human rights NGOs."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

No progress in the investigation of attack on human rights activist Mikael Danielyan in March 2004 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 17227]

"At year's end there was no significant progress, and none expected, in the investigation into the March 2004 incident in which Mikael Danielyan, the director of a human rights organization, was beaten by four unidentified people. Danielyan had given a controversial interview to an Azerbaijani newspaper."

Document(s): Open document

16.02.2006 - Source: Armenialiberty

Human rights lawyer, arrested in October 2005 after helping evicted residents of Yerevan to sue the government, released after appeals court ruled to put an end to his pre-trial detention ("Human Rights Lawyer Set Free, For Now") [#44635],  [ID 3174]

Document(s): Open document

09.01.2006 - Source: Armenialiberty

Jailed human rights lawyer, who represented Yerevan residents forcibly evicted from their homes, pleads with European Court of Human Rights to intervene in his prosecution which he considers illegal and politically motivated ("Jailed rights lawyer appeals to European Court") [#42707],  [ID 3175]

Document(s): Open document

25.05.2005 - Source: Amnesty International

Human rights activist Mikael Danielyan attacked by unknown assailants; investigation failed to identify any perpetrators ("Annual Report 2005") [#32286],  [ID 3176]

"Human rights activist Mikael Danielyan was attacked outside his home by four unknown assailants on 30 March. He was reportedly punched in the head and kicked after he fell to the ground. He believed that the attack was related to his human rights work. President Kocharian reportedly ordered an investigation into the attack. However, the investigation failed to identify any perpetrators"

Document(s): Open document
Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Human righs activist Mikael Danielyan beaten by unidentified persons; no significant progress in the investigation ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29491],  [ID 3177]

"On March 30, the director of a human rights organization, Mikael Danielyan, was beaten by four unidentified persons near the entrance to his home. According to Danielyan, the attack was triggered by an interview with an Azerbaijani newspaper. According to observers, some local groups interpreted his remarks about the country's authorities as traitorous. Danielyan reported the attack to authorities and to the country's Human Rights Ombudsman. The Prosecutor General opened an investigation into the case, but Danielyan refused to cooperate with the investigation. At year's end, there was no significant progress in the investigation [...]."

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Human rights groups generally operate without government restrictions ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29491],  [ID 3178]

"A number of domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restrictions, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. Government officials were somewhat cooperative and responsive to their views."

Document(s): Open document