Advancing Democratic Culture in Armenia
Freedom House worked in Armenia to create spaces for dialogue among civil society, the government, policymakers, journalists, and the public to combat disinformation and defend democracy and fundamental freedoms.
The unchecked spread of disinformation in Armenia takes advantage of existing societal vulnerabilities and threatens the fragile process of democratic reforms. Freedom House sought to help Armenian civil society, the public and the government develop a common vision for a democratic Armenia.
Entitled Advancing Democratic Culture in Armenia, this Freedom House project created spaces for dialogue among civil society, the government, policymakers, journalists, and the public. Through research and analysis, support for grassroots initiatives, media literacy activities, advocacy, and convenings, Freedom House and partners aimed to identify best practices to address disinformation in order to defend democracy and human rights in Armenia.
Key Initiatives
Featured Events
Freedom House engaged with leading experts, representatives of local civil society, and the government to facilitate public discussions on the most pressing and controversial issues facing Armenian democracy and human rights.
- 3rd Armenian forum for Democracy. Democratic Resilience and Human Rights Protection in the Face of Crisis
On July 1, 2024, Freedom House and the Union of Informed Citizens NGO hosted the third Armenian Forum for Democracy, themed “Democratic Resilience and Human Rights Protection in the Face of Crisis.” The event featured keynote addresses from notable figures, including Marc Behrendt, Director of Europe and Eurasia Programs at Freedom House, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina A. Kvien, EU Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Vassilis Maragos, who welcomed the attendees and set the stage for the discussions to follow. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan finalized the opening of the Forum with a welcome speech. A diverse group of stakeholders—including Armenian legislators, government officials, ambassadors, and members of Armenian and global civil society—met to discuss their efforts in Armenian democratic processes and human rights, as well as ongoing challenges.
- 2nd Armenian forum for Democracy. Defending Democracy, Safeguarding Rights amid National Security Challenges
On May 31, 2023, Freedom House and the Union of Informed Citizens NGO jointly organized the second Armenian Forum for Democracy in Yerevan, entitled “Defending Democracy: Safeguarding Rights Amid National Security Challenges.” Prominent figures such as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina A. Kvien, and Freedom House President Michael Abramowitz delivered opening remarks, welcoming the attendees. The forum brought together a diverse group of nearly 200 participants, including government officials, legislators, ambassadors, and international and Armenian civic actors. The goal was to discuss the ongoing challenges Armenia faces in its democratic development and collaborate to find solutions to the most pressing issues. Discussions covered topics such as democratic development in the face of national security challenges, the promotion of human rights in a complex security environment, strengthening independent media against disinformation, advancing anti-corruption reforms, and the impact of media regulation on press freedom.
- Stronger Together Retreat. Media and Human Rights Intersect
On April 5-7, 2024, Freedom House organized the “Stronger Together: Media and Human Rights Intersect” retreat in Aghveran, Armenia which brought together civil society representatives from media and human rights organizations in discussions regarding media development, human rights, advocacy and disinformation, which strengthened cooperation and dialogue and enhanced communication between these actors, the Armenian government, and the National Assembly. During the retreat, the CSO participants shared their perspectives, goals, and the challenges their organizations face in promoting changes regarding media and human rights in Armenia. They engaged in active discussions on topics such as anti-discrimination legislation, media self-regulation bill, and various other issues like domestic and sexual violence, LGBTQI+ rights, and police violence.
- Enhancing government-CSO cooperation towards integration of media-self regulation system in Armenia
On December 21, 2023, Freedom House and the Ministry of Justice of Armenia collaborated to host a public discussion regarding draft amendments to the Republic of Armenia's Law on Mass Media. These proposed changes, among other modifications, advocate for the integration of media self-regulation into Armenian legislation.
The event featured opening remarks from Andranik Shirinyan, Freedom House's Armenia Country Representative, Tigran Dadunts, Director at the Ministry of Justics’s Center for Legislation Development Foundation, and Lilit Minasyan, Deputy of the National Assembly. They emphasized the significance of the draft legislation for Armenia's media landscape, aiming to support efforts countering disinformation, reducing polarization, and ensuring a culture of ethical conduct among media workers.
A distinguished panel of media experts introduced the key concepts behind the proposed legislation, then hosted an extensive question-and-answer session involving over 30 representatives from civil society, the media, and the journalistic community at large.
Freedom House continues its support initiatives for a healthy democracy and information environment in Armenia through various activities and has backed the joint government-CSO working group facilitating the drafting of the legislation.
- Toward Information Integrity: Rising to Current Challenges in Armenia’s Information Space
On November 25-26, 2021 Freedom House organized a regional stakeholder meeting in Yerevan, "Toward Information Integrity: Rising to Current Challenges in Armenia’s Information Space." The event featured participation from local civil society and government representatives including the head of the Yezidi Center for Human Rights, Sashik Sultanyan, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Armenia, Chip Laitinen, and Freedom House's director of Europe and Eurasia Programs Marc Behrendt. The discussion was facilitated by Freedom House's Project Specialist, Andranik Shirinyan, and highlighted the challenges facing civil society in the country surrounding disinformation and freedom of speech.
- Boundaries Between Information, Disinformation, and Confidentiality in Matters of National Security: What is Media Terror?
On May 18, 2021, Freedom House Armenia hosted an event discussing the current state of disinformation in the media, the boundary of information and disinformation as it pertains to national security and the definition and the use of the term "media terror" in the current discourse within Armenia. The event included a panel of several prominent members of local civil society as well as representatives from the Armenian Human Rights Defender's office and the Public Relations and Information Center SNCO under the Office of the Prime Minister.
- Current Narratives on the Correlation of Democracy, Human Rights and Security in Post-War Armenia: True or False?
Freedom House engages with leading experts, representatives of local civil society, and the government to facilitate public discussions on the most pressing and controversial issues facing Armenian democracy and human rights. On February 11, 2021, Freedom House Armenia hosted an event titled "Current Narratives about the Correlation of Democracy, Human Rights and Security in Post-War Armenia: True or False?" The event featured the participation of several prominent members of local civil society as well as the Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan and Freedom House's director of Europe and Eurasia Programs Marc Behrendt. The discussion was facilitated by Freedom House’s Project Coordinator Sossi Tatikyan and emphasized the danger of disinformation after the war, as well as the link between democracy, human rights, and security and the importance of continued democratic progress in Armenia.
Past Program Publications
AI Use in Armenian Media: Ethical Considerations
The policy brief aims to analyze the transformative power of AI, its impact on media and disinformation in Armenia and offers concrete policy recommendations for the government, civil society, and the international community on how to engage with and regulate AI in a way that ensures that civil liberties, freedom of expression and privacy rights while combating disinformation.
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The Role and Importance of Online Regulation Reforms in Armenia
Internet content regulation is a global challenge for governments, private internet intermediaries and internet users. Although digital technologies can help bolster individual freedoms, the effective exercise of fundamental human rights, and democratic governance, they can also pose significant dangers to human dignity and safety, public order, national security and other legitimate public interests that the state is obligated to protect under the constitution. A delicate balance between individual rights – such as the freedom of imparting and receiving information and ideas – and legitimate public interests – such as those mentioned above – is needed. In Armenia, in order to strike and maintain that balance, it is paramount to enact a legal framework for online content regulation in line with the Constitution of Armenia and Armenia’s international obligations before the UN, the Council of Europe (CoE) and the European Union (EU).
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Armenia’s Fight Against Disinformation: Towards a Whole-of-Society Approach?
False and misleading claims have been a problem in Armenia’s information space in the past. However, with the onset of COVID-19 and the Nagorno-Karabakh 44-Day War in 2020, the country is more vulnerable to disinformation than ever before. While the Government of Armenia has acknowledged the threat that disinformation poses to its democratic system and has taken some positive measures to address it, its response has been overall insufficient to address the long-term, complex challenge that disinformation presents. The unimpeded spread of disinformation is particularly concerning for Armenia’s fragile process of democratic development as well as its resilience as a state given its ongoing national security issues. This policy brief analyzes international best practices for combating disinformation and offers recommendations to the government on how to combat disinformation more effectively.
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Disinformation and Misinformation in Armenia: Confronting the Power of False Narratives
Freedom House Armenia’s new report calls attention to the severity, complexity and shape of disinformation narratives circulating in the country, and assesses the risks they pose to democratic development. The report analyzes major narratives across four topics that have circulated in Armenia: democracy and civil society, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, and social and cultural issues. The report calls on the state, media, civil society and international partners to strengthen their responses to these vulnerabilities, with particular attention toward building sustained resilience.
News & Perspectives on Armenia
