Expert: Armenia caught between authoritarian and democratic countries

Assessments from various international organizations have revealed democratic stagnation and even regression in Armenia since 2018, Hasmik Harutyunyan, a legal expert at the Protection of Rights Without Borders NGO, said at a debate on Tuesday.

She referred to the latest Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), which recorded democratic backsliding in Armenia for the second consecutive year.

The EIU’s key assessment criteria include electoral processes, political pluralism, functioning of government, political participation and civil liberties. Harutyunyan emphasized that Armenia’s main shortcomings lie in the functioning of governance, along with significant issues in political culture and civil rights.

"Armenia's position in the index has improved, but not due to its own progress — rather because of changes in other countries' rankings," she noted.

The lowest score was recorded in political culture, followed by governance quality and civil liberties. The expert also pointed to police impunity and restrictions on free speech.

"Armenia is in a dangerous position, caught between authoritarian and democratic countries. As a hybrid regime, the risk of drifting toward authoritarianism is high, especially with stalled reforms," she warned.

Andranik Shirinyan from Freedom House pointed to the lack of meaningful progress in judicial and anti-corruption reforms. He cited the negative impact of the June 2023 clashes between police and protesters outside the parliament, where 100 journalists were injured, as a setback for freedom in the country.