Another Blow to Pashinyan from His 'Beloved' West

The newspaper "Pats" reports that Nikol Pashinyan and his administration have yet to digest the Freedom House report, indicating that in 2023, Armenia's democratic governance rating dropped from 2.50 to 2.25. The same human rights organization expressed concerns over the rise in reports of police violence in Armenia, when yet another blow came from the West.

The U.S. State Department released its annual human rights report, emphasizing credible information received regarding torture, cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment by the Armenian government. Arbitrary arrests and detentions continued, while serious issues persisted regarding the independence of the judiciary. The U.S. State Department noted that the impunity for both old and new cases of abuses by law enforcement in Armenia continues.

The report also addressed the judicial system, stating that complaints regarding judges' activities have not disappeared. It emphasized that disciplinary actions against judges have been applied selectively, and there is a lack of transparency in the decision-making process of the Ministry of Justice regarding these issues.

According to the report's authors, investigative journalists regularly report on problems within the public procurement system, including the widespread practice of single-source procurement and the connections between companies receiving government contracts and high-ranking government officials.

In summary, since 2018, it has become unprecedented for the West to deliver such blows to its 'child'. The fact that the reports of Freedom House and the State Department represent only a fraction of Nikol Pashinyan's government’s disgrace is evident; this is not even debatable. However, the reasons behind the West's sudden decision to at least partially acknowledge the reality could vary. This might include a warning to Nikol Pashinyan, an inability to completely ignore the retreat of democracy on a large scale, or, likely, the West may already be distancing itself from Pashinyan.