YEREVAN — A deteriorating environment for political and civil rights in Armenia raises serious concerns about the democratic conditions necessary for a fair and free election, said the International Observatory for Democracy in Armenia (IODA) in a press conference here on March 12 to present its preliminary assessment following its initial fact-finding mission in the country this week. Evidence of the government’s interference in the independence of the judiciary and religious establishment, as well as politicized prosecutions of perceived political opponents, including political leaders, media figures, lawyers, and members of the clergy, have undermined confidence in a level playing field for political competition.
“A small country surrounded by hostile neighbors, Armenia’s most precious asset is its democracy. That rarity in the region makes it particularly troubling to see the government chipping away at democratic freedoms in the country ahead of the June 7 parliamentary election,” said Kenneth Roth, IODA executive board member.
“The international community has unfortunately misfocused its attention on securing a partisan outcome, whether ‘pro-West’ or ‘pro-Russian’, rather than on preserving what’s most important of all: a thriving democracy,” said Philippe Kalfayan, IODA executive board member.
The IODA is an independent, non-partisan organization formed to monitor democracy and human rights conditions in Armenia ahead of the June 2026 elections. IODA has no affiliation with any national or multinational government or agency, and is composed entirely of independent human rights experts.
A delegation of IODA representatives in Armenia from March 7 to 12 has consulted with a broad range of actors in the country to reach their preliminary assessment, including members of political parties, the clergy, non-governmental organizations, and national authorities responsible for ensuring human rights and election integrity. The justice and interior ministries, the Constitutional Court, and the political party associated with the government, Civil Contract, declined to meet with the delegation. The delegation participating in this initial mission includes Kenneth Roth, Philippe Kalfayan, Sarah Leah Whitson and Mark Jones.
