By Aram Tadevosyan The use of divisive and offensive language by political actors is one of the main problems of Armenia’s political culture. Democracy Watch regularly addresses the use of targeted and insulting rhetoric by both the opposition and the government. Debates over any issue often shift to the personal realm, where mutual accusations begin, […]
The publication is available only in Armenian.
The publication is available only in Armenian.
By Aram Tadevosyan On March 17, lawyer Roman Yeritsyan posted on Facebook about Tigran Ulubabyan being tortured by officers at the Lori Regional Police Department and being subjected to insults. Thanks to several media outlets, the incident received widespread public attention. The story of an individual’s rights violation quickly shifted to a broader discourse, from police […]
By Tatév Ghazaryan Since the political shifts of 2018, Armenia has seen a surge in local democratic transformations. As in Yerevan, regions and communities needed to align with the new political reality by electing new local authorities. Concurrently, since 2016, communities have undergone a process of consolidation, merging into larger administrative districts. This restructuring introduced […]
By Tigran Grigoryan In recent weeks, the rhetoric of Armenian politicians, particularly within the ruling party, has raised significant concerns about the use of offensive and politically incorrect language in public discourse. These incidents underscore the need for greater accountability and the protection of democratic values, particularly in the face of growing political polarization. Andranik […]
By Tigran Grigoryan As anticipated, the new Trump presidency is creating serious challenges for civil society and independent press around the world. The recent decisions by the administration to freeze foreign aid and curtail the activities of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have had a crippling effect on Armenia’s civil society and independent […]
By Tigran Grigryan Hetq’s recent investigation revealed that on May 4, 2023, the Armenian government invested AMD 1.5 billion (around US$3.8 million) in a newly established company, CFW CJSC, led by an individual with close ties to Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan’s wife. What makes this deal even more alarming is that the company received the funds just […]
By Tigran Grigoryan The ruling Civil Contract party has launched a public smear campaign against Radio Free Europe/Radio Libety’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun). Two high-ranking government officials—Arayik Harutyunyan, the head of the Prime Minister’s Administration, and Ruben Rubinyan, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly—have led verbal attacks against Azatutyun. Harutyunyan accused Azatutyun of spreading “fake” news and […]
