Human Rights Watch reports that Armenia’s human rights situation remained fragile in 2025 despite reform efforts and promises of European integration. The report cites persistent problems such as excessive state surveillance, restrictions on media freedom, domestic violence, discrimination against persons with disabilities, and violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Civil society groups highlighted ineffective investigations into police abuse, lack of judicial independence, and the overuse of pre-trial detention. Armenia still lacks comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation.
Authorities also faced challenges in providing adequate social protection for more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. As housing subsidies were gradually withdrawn, the government shifted to needs-based assistance for children, the elderly, some persons with disabilities, students, and families that lost their main breadwinner. This left many displaced individuals struggling to pay rent and meet basic needs.
In March, the parliament passed a law launching the EU accession process, affirming Armenia’s commitment to adopt relevant legal frameworks and reforms.
In August, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed the Washington Declaration, brokered by the U.S., which laid out a broad peace framework to end decades of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, establish diplomatic relations, and promote regional cooperation. The agreement granted the U.S. exclusive rights to develop a 42-kilometer trade corridor through Armenia connecting Azerbaijan with its Nakhichevan exclave. The deal also led to the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, formerly co-chaired by France, the U.S., and Russia.
The declaration sparked controversy in Armenia, with public concerns over its implementation, the continued detention of 23 ethnic Armenians in Azerbaijan, and the suspension of operations by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which cut off families’ access to independent contact or welfare guarantees for the detainees.
The report also raises concerns over threats to privacy due to expanded police surveillance powers and weak personal data protection mechanisms. Other issues include restricted press freedom, lack of psychosocial support in detention facilities, a rise in domestic violence, and ongoing discrimination against LGBT individuals.
HRW urges Armenian authorities to implement genuine reforms to protect human rights, safeguard vulnerable groups, ensure judicial independence, uphold civil liberties, and guarantee access to information.
