EU Warns Armenia’s Courts Remain Vulnerable to Political Influence as Police Abuse Investigations Fall Short Despite Reforms

The European Union says Armenia’s courts remain vulnerable to political influence, investigations into alleged police abuse are ineffective and pretrial detention is used excessively despite the government’s continued human rights and judicial reforms.

The EU’s 2025 Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy, published by the European External Action Service, says Armenia continued an ambitious reform program aimed at strengthening state institutions and rights protections. Civil society groups, however, told the EU that implementation has often fallen short and called for greater accountability.

Judicial, police and constitutional reforms continued throughout the year, with authorities seeking to improve the integrity and effectiveness of public institutions. The report says questions remain over the independence of the judiciary, while rights groups have criticized investigations into alleged police abuse as ineffective. They have also raised concerns about what they consider excessive use of pretrial detention in criminal cases.

The EU offered a more positive assessment of Armenia’s civic space, describing civil society as one of the most active in the region. Media pluralism remained in place despite a deeply polarized political environment.

At the same time, the report says Armenia faced growing pressure from disinformation, foreign interference and other hybrid threats ahead of the June 2026 parliamentary elections.

Several measures adopted during the year were highlighted as signs of progress. Armenia approved its 2025-2028 Gender Policy Strategy and Action Plan, while a new law governing children’s rights and the child protection system entered into force. The government also continued efforts to improve judicial integrity and expand the use of digital tools in the justice system.

Authorities have also announced plans to establish an independent agency responsible for data protection.

Significant gaps remain in protections against discrimination, according to the EU. Armenia has yet to adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination and minority rights legislation, an issue that has remained on the reform agenda.

The report also points to concerns about strategic lawsuits targeting journalists, environmental activists and human rights defenders. It cites allegations that criminal proceedings have been used against dissenting voices and notes continued concerns over deaths in detention facilities and non-combat deaths in the armed forces.

Armenia has made substantial changes to its anti-corruption framework, bringing it closer to standards set by international bodies including the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption, known as GRECO, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The EU said further work is needed, particularly in identifying corruption risks in areas such as public procurement.

The report also examines Armenia’s response to the displacement of Artsakh Armenians and the continuing challenge of their long-term integration. Authorities have provided housing, employment and social assistance, but the EU says significant needs remain as Armenia moves from broad rent subsidies toward more targeted support.

In the health sector, Armenia’s universal health insurance law took effect Jan. 1, 2026, with the goal of making health care more affordable and accessible.

Brussels continued to provide political and financial support for Armenia’s Human Rights Action Plan during 2025. The EU and its member states also provided humanitarian and socioeconomic assistance to displaced Karabakh Armenians and supported regional development programs, including projects in the southern Syunik province.

The EU Mission in Armenia continued its monitoring activities along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Human rights and democratic reforms have also become a larger part of Armenia’s expanding relationship with the EU. The Strategic Agenda for the EU-Armenia Partnership, adopted in December 2025, identifies democracy, rule of law, justice reform and human rights as priorities for cooperation.

The European Commission presented Armenia with a Visa Liberalization Action Plan in November 2025, outlining reforms required as the country works toward possible visa-free travel with the EU. The benchmarks include measures related to fundamental rights, anti-discrimination protections and citizenship.

Armenia also ratified two international human rights treaties in 2025: the International Labor Organization’s Convention No. 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work and the Council of Europe’s Oviedo Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine.

Authorities also launched a digital platform intended to improve monitoring of Armenia’s international human rights obligations.

The EU’s assessment presents a mixed picture: Armenia continued to build the legal and institutional framework for democratic reforms in 2025, while longstanding concerns over how those safeguards work in practice remained.

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