Lawyer says no political will to fight corruption in Armenia

Armenian lawyer Sergey Harutyunyan accused the authorities of spreading “blatant lies” at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), claiming the country’s anti-corruption campaign has faltered due to a lack of political will.

Speaking at a corruption prevention workshop hosted by the AntiCor platform, Harutyunyan told reporters that graft has expanded despite official pledges to curb it. 

“They came to power under the banner of fighting corruption, but corruption in Armenia has only increased,” Harutyunyan said, pointing to abuses within municipal structures.

Drawing on his professional experience, Harutyunyan said law enforcement agencies apply the law selectively, especially when dealing with opposition activists. “When it comes to opposition figures or even ordinary citizens who express dissenting views, the system resorts to brute force,” he said. “At the same time, pro-government individuals who make harsher statements face no consequences.”

According to Harutyunyan, this pattern of discrimination has fueled a “vicious cycle of impunity” over the past three to five years, eroding public trust in state institutions.

He added that public awareness remains the only effective tool available to activists. “Unfortunately, all that is left for us now is to speak out as much as possible and make sure society is informed,” he said.