ECRI Report: Armenia Partially Implemented Hate Speech Recommendation, Integration Strategy Not Yet Adopted

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) today published its interim conclusions regarding Armenia, which assess the implementation of two key recommendations.

The report contains rather cautious conclusions: the recommendation to combat hate speech was assessed as "partially implemented," while the adoption of an integration strategy for refugees was assessed as "not yet implemented."

FOREWORD

As part of its sixth round of monitoring work, ECRI has renewed its process of interim follow-up with respect to two specific recommendations made in each of its country reports. In line with the Information Document on ECRI’s sixth monitoring cycle brought to the attention of the Ministers’ Deputies on 9 May 2018 , not later than two years following the publication of each report, ECRI addresses a communication to the Government concerned asking what has been done in respect of the specific recommendations for which priority follow-up was requested. At the same time, ECRI gathers relevant information itself. On the basis of this information and the response from the Government, ECRI draws up its conclusions on the way in which its recommendations have been followed up. It should be noted that these conclusions concern only the specific interim follow-up recommendations and do not aim at providing a comprehensive analysis of all developments in the fight against racism and intolerance in the State concerned.  

1. In its report on Armenia (sixth monitoring cycle) published on 20 June 2023, ECRI recommended that the authorities engage in awareness-raising activities on the importance of diversity and tolerance in society by supporting concrete actions in co-operation with the Human Rights Defender and relevant civil society representatives from different backgrounds, including ethnic, religious and sexual minorities, with the aim of preventing and combating racist and LGBTI-phobic hate speech, hate-motivated violence and discrimination. ECRI takes note of the information provided by the Armenian authorities according to which information campaigns on preventing and combating discrimination, hate speech and hate-motivated violence are part of Armenia’s Action Plan on the Human Rights Protection National Strategy for the period 2023-2025. The authorities also informed ECRI that, in 2024, the Ministry of Justice produced posters on countering hate speech and video recordings on the prohibition of discrimination, which were set to be disseminated through social media platforms and displayed in public spaces in the course of 2025. However, ECRI is not aware whether such plans address all relevant forms of racist and LGBTI-phobic hate speech, hate-motivated violence, and discrimination. Moreover, it appears from the information received by ECRI that these plans were not designed or meant to be implemented in co-operation with the Human Rights Defender and relevant civil society representatives. At the same time, civil society actors indicated to ECRI that they were unaware of any large-scale awareness-raising initiatives. To sum up, ECRI appreciates that the Armenia’s Action Plan on the Human Rights Protection National Strategy for the period 2023-2025 paves the way for the future design and implementation of awareness-raising activities promoting respect for diversity and tolerance in society with the aim of preventing and combating racist and LGBTI-phobic hate speech, hate-motivated violence and related discrimination. However, in the current state of affairs, plans for such activities have not yet materialised. In addition, ECRI should underline that such activities should address racist and LGBTI-phobic forms of hate speech and violence, as well as related discrimination.

ECRI also underlines the value of cooperating with the Human Rights Defender and relevant civil society representatives from different backgrounds, including ethnic, religious and sexual minorities, when carrying out these activities. In light of the above, ECRI concludes that its recommendation has only been partially implemented and takes note of the efforts made and the initial steps taken.

2. In its report on Armenia (sixth monitoring cycle), ECRI recommended that the authorities adopt an Integration Strategy accompanied by suitable financial resources and capacity-building activities that will ensure effective implementation of concrete support actions for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, as well as any other persons or groups of persons in similar situations, including, among others, language and civic orientation courses. In doing so, the authorities should draw on the model framework for an intercultural integration strategy at the national level adopted by the Council of Europe’s intergovernmental Steering Committee on Antidiscrimination, Diversity, and Inclusion (CDADI) in 2021. ECRI was informed by the Armenian authorities of several actions that they have taken to respond to the unprecedented humanitarian challenge due to the large-scale displacement of over 100,000 Karabakh Armenians who fled their homes and headed to Armenia as a result of Azerbaijan’s military operation in the region on 19 and 20 September 2023, in particular as part of the Armenia Emergency Refugee Response Programme.

Among others, ECRI takes positive note of relief responses through cash assistance as well as measures aimed at facilitating access to social protection, expanding access to healthcare, and ensuring education for displaced children. According to the authorities, their action was guided by the model framework for an intercultural integration strategy at the national level adopted by the CDADI. ECRI acknowledges the significant challenges faced and fast responses taken by the Armenian authorities following the large-scale displacement of Karabakh Armenians in 2023.

At the same time, ECRI notes that the authorities were not in a position to adopt an Integration Strategy in line with its recommendation. ECRI is of the view that such a strategy should be drawn up without any further delay, drawing inspiration from the Armenia Emergency Refugee Response Programme and taking due account of the needs of all people who took refuge or seek international protection in the country. Against this background, ECRI recalls that the strategy should include, among others, language and civic orientation courses. In light of the above, ECRI concludes that, in the present state of affairs, its recommendation has not yet been implemented.