Freedom House Calls on Parliament Amid Clear Erosion of Democratic Norms in Armenia

Freedom House, a human rights organization, has expressed concern regarding the first case of the criminal conviction of a citizen of Armenia in connection with new legislation criminalizing "serious insult" against government officials. This was stated in a message on the organization’s Facebook page.

“The application of this legislation, which has already led to more than 260 criminal cases in 2022 alone, speaks to a clear erosion of democratic norms in Armenia and has a chilling effect on freedom of expression. We urge the parliament to repeal this law, which grossly violates the principles established by the Constitution of Armenia and the country's commitments under the OSCE and the European Convention on Human Rights, of which Armenia is a part,” the statement reads.