No Police Charges Filed for Use of Force During Protests Against the Armenian Government, Amnesty International Report

Amnesty International, the international human rights organization, has published its report "The State of Human Rights in the World 2022-2023," which presents the findings of studies in 156 countries.

The report concerning Armenia states that no progress has been made in investigating war crimes and other violations committed during the 2020 Armenia-Azerbaijan armed conflict and immediately thereafter, according to international law.

The main findings regarding Armenia in the report indicate that law enforcement officials used excessive force during protests against the government. Freedom of expression has been restricted, with hundreds of individuals facing criminal prosecution for allegedly insulting officials. Amendments to mining legislation have further facilitated the circumvention of public resistance and environmental concerns. Laws to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity remain inadequate.

Overall Situation

The security situation along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border remains tense, with frequent gunfire incidents. Azerbaijani shelling within Armenian territories in Syunik, Gegharkunik, and Vayots Dzor regions has resulted in over 200 casualties, including two civilians.

In October, Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed on the short-term deployment of an EU monitoring mission along their border.

The influx of Russians due to the Russia-Ukraine war has supported economic activity in Armenia, but it has also contributed to rising rental prices and the overall cost of living.

In March, the European Committee of Social Rights expressed concern over Armenia's insufficient measures to improve occupational safety and health, the absence of a clearly defined policy on occupational safety and health, and the failure to guarantee social security for all workers and their dependents.

Violations of International Humanitarian Law

No significant progress has been made in investigating war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law resulting from the 2020 Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict or in holding alleged perpetrators accountable.

People continue to suffer deaths and injuries from landmines planted by Armenian forces in areas they ceded to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani authorities reported in October that since the 2020 conflict, 266 people have been injured by landmines, claiming that earlier maps provided by Armenia of mined areas are unreliable. According to a report by the International Committee of the Red Cross published in August, more than 300 Armenians have been missing or unaccounted for since March 2020.

Freedom of Assembly

The authors of the report on freedom of assembly in Armenia find that this right has been restricted due to the violent and disproportionate response by law enforcement agencies to protests. A series of protests demanding Prime Minister Pashinyan’s resignation over negotiations relating to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict took place between April and June. These protests were often large-scale, with demonstrators blocking streets and erecting tents. Authorities' responses have sometimes been disproportionate, dispersing and arresting hundreds and injuring dozens.

During one of the most severe clashes on June 3, police deployed stun grenades and used excessive force to prevent thousands of protesters from approaching the Armenian parliament. It was reported that fifty individuals, including 34 police officers, sought medical aid, and dozens were arrested for participating in "mass violence."

Media rights observers reported that at least 11 journalists were injured while covering protests from April to June, with some facing obstacles in reporting on the events.

As of the end of the year, no police officers have been charged for the excessive use of force during protests against the government.

On August 25, police dispersed a peaceful protest in Yerevan against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, resulting in 22 arrests. Detained protesters were held for several hours without legal representation or interpreters for those who did not speak Armenian. Later that same day, they were released without charges.