Opposition politician says Armenian FM misleading international community

Opposition politician Armen Ashotyan, deputy chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), has lambasted the Armenian government, accusing Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan of misleading both the Armenian people and the international community about the state of democracy in Armenia.

Speaking in a Facebook livestream on Tuesday, Ashotyan claimed that Mirzoyan distorted findings from the 2025 Freedom House report while addressing international human rights forums. He claimed the report highlights low legitimacy of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government, ineffective anti-corruption efforts, politicization of education and a deteriorating judiciary.

Ashotyan criticized Mirzoyan for failing to demand the release of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan and campaign for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He argued that Armenia, once a promoter of genocide prevention at the United Nations, has abandoned the initiative in recent years.

The opposition politician branded Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as “the most odious dictators” in the Council of Europe, accusing them of aligning internationally while Armenia slides toward authoritarianism.