International Human Rights Defenders Day (9 December) is a day to recognize and celebrate the work of so many courageous individuals who stand up against injustice.
After the “Velvet Revolution” in May 2018, the smear campaigns against human rights defenders (HRDs) got an unprecedented manner and became more vocal in targeting NGOs, HRDs, their work and shrinking their space of functioning.
On the 14th and 15th of October 2021, Armenia has been reviewed for the third time by the Human Rights Committee on the implementation of the ICCPR. Concluding observations on Armenia’s 3rd periodic report were released on November 11, 2021.
The Committee welcomed the adoption of the amendments to the Constitution in 2015 and to the Criminal Code in 2021, the Strategic Plan for the Protection of the Rights of the Child for 2017-2021, the Strategy of Judicial and Legal Reforms for 2019-2023 and its Action Plan for 2019-2020, and the State party’s ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the Covenant, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.
In the principal matters of concern and recommendations the Committee touched upon the issues, such as corruption, non-discrimination, discrimination and violence on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, violence against women, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, independence of the judiciary.
Prior to the review, Human Rights House Yerevan submitted joint List of Issues raising its concerns regarding the smear campaigns against civil society and HRDs, violations of the freedom of assembly, detentions of journalists and HRDs, and the human rights violations of HRDs working with the most vulnerable communities, persons belonging to minorities (women human rights efenders, LGBT human rights defenders, environmental activists, political and civil rights defenders).
Amongst presented and discussed human rights issues, the Committee raised its concerns regarding the reports of threats, intimidation, harassment and attacks against journalists, including online journalists, HRDs, particularly women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender HRDs and environmental activists, including those working on issues concerning gold mining operations. Moreover, the Committee was also concerned with the allegations of the use of criminal provisions, such as perjury, non-compliance with the lawful orders of the police and violence against representatives of the authorities, to hamper the activities of journalists and to curb their freedom of expression, the increased number of civil defamation lawsuits brought against journalists and media outlets and the imposition of disproportionate financial sanctions as a result; etc.
In its concluding observations, the Committee recommended the State party to:
(a) Refrain from intimidating, threatening, harassing and attacking
journalists, HRDs and environmental activists who are exercising
their right to freedom of expression;
(b) Ensure that all violations committed against members of these groups are
investigated thoroughly and impartially so that the perpetrators can be tried and
sentenced to penalties commensurate with the gravity of their offences and that the
victims can receive redress;
(c) Ensure that criminal provisions and civil defamation lawsuits brought by
private persons are not used against journalists and media outlets as a tool to supress
critical reporting on matters of public interest;
(d) Provide adequate compensation for media outlets that have experienced
censorship as a result of excessively restrictive measures adopted in the context of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The State party is requested to provide, by 5 November 2023, information on the implementation of the given recommendations (you can find all the recommendations given by the Committee in the Concluding Observations here).
In commemoration of the International Human Rights Defenders Day on 9 December, Human Rights House Yerevan calls on State to implement the recommendations given to the Armenian State on ensuring the human rights protection of HRDs, support and protect them at national level through building defenders-friendly alliances and adopting concrete measures to protect rights activists, to recognize the important role of activists who ceaselessly seek to defend human rights and fundamental freedoms for the good of the whole society.